The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-12

They did shut up the anthracite mines
for more than five months. They taxed
the bltuminous miners and all laborers
over whom organized labor had control
to support the strike. The owners Of BIZ
luminous mines, some in self-defense,
others in the hope of gain. contributed TO
the strike fund With what result? The
price of both anthracite and bituminous
coal more than doubled; The supply was
inadequate. The public was suffering.
not only from high price but from a
scarcity of coal Industrial operations
employment. All over the land except
in the districts that could be supplied by
the great anthracite coal companies. the
poor, the honest Workmen and the we'll
TODD suffered for want of fuel.
1.-The record shows that all honest eff
fort was made to convince the United
Mine Workers that their demands were
unjust Who now will say, in the light
of the testimony, that the demand for
a uniform rate Of wages extending all over
the anthracite regions, was reasonable?
The difference In conditions between the
anthracite operations and the bituminous
operations were clearly pointed out to-
these labor leaders.
Civic Federation Criticized.
1--WE met them as they requested be-
fore the national civic federation and dis
cussed the whole situation. At the sug-;
gestion of the civic federation a commit
tee of our employees and operators was ap-
pointed to further consider the subject
and report to a meeting of the fedora
ton to be called by its chairman.
ITO our amazement the civic federat-
ton for reasons of it's own, was never
convened to hear our report. We had a
right to expect that the gentlemen of
the civic federation would deal honestly
and justly by us, and by their counsel.
advise and influence, help to avert the
great disaster which in all it's ugliness
is now before us. They deserted the
cause they. had espoused
An Unjust Proposition.
Mr. Baer then read the letter from
President Mitchell suggesting that the
questions at issue be submitted to com
mittee of five of the industrial bureaus
Of the national civic federation. With
regard to this President Baer said:
Human ingenuity could not devise a
proposition more unfair. 1t proposed an
| arbitration board to be selected by the
industrial branch of the federation COM
posed of the leading labor leaders of the
United States. There is not single
representative of the anthracite mine
owners on it,
Mr.. Raer on Wages.
of the difficulties and expense obtained
in the production of anthracite coal. Con-
corning the wages he said:
First-The testimony clearly shows that the
wages now paid fair wages; that they COM
| pare most favorably With the general wages
! of the country. and that willing to work
| honestly and exert themselves do annually
sums in excess of the average.
Second-The fact that there is excess of la
Dor in the anthracite regions confirms our theory
| that the wages already high compared
it'll the general wage scale of the country, be-
cause every knows that labor is attracted
to the place where wages are highest.
Ttrd-lf the wages again advanced. then
| instead of diminishing the existing excess OF
workmen 1t will be increased by new work.
men coming to this field.
Something has been said about the
operators importing foreigners. never
heard Of it before. These foreigners
come here because of the reports made
by the men already here of the improved
conditions. and they will continue to
come SO long as such exceptional advan-
tages are offered.
The Eight-Hour Day
"The demand for an eight -houi. day
is only another form of increa sing the
| cost of production. 1t must be apparent
| to everyone that restricting breaker
operations to eight hours per day, must
necessarily limit the output of the COL
liery and to that extent must not only