Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-07-23
n AsHINdToN. D. CT have

w MAsHINGTON. j. CT have
!. ]. !. I. I. !: g. !. :.
been AN employer for many
A years. have no trouble with
v "A my labor and / have never
MA had strike,
These were the words OF one
v OF the richest mine owners OF
the UnuedStates-a man who
has made many million dollars out OF
gold mines and who has mines out or
which he is now taking millions more
refer to Thomas +. Walsh the owner
OF the Camp Bird and other valuable
properties In Colorado. that state where
mining troubles are rampant When
he said this we were sitting IN the pare
lor of his great mansion ON Massachu-
sets avenue talking of gold mining as
a business and OF his experience IN t.
How do you accomplish that result
/ asked.
I'm the first place" replied the mine
owner Il treat my men as though they
were human beings ] realize thHt
their work is hard and that their condl-
tlons should be made as easy as nOssi-
bic. ] have been doing what many em-
ployers in Europe and the United
States are now doing that Is, tryins To
better the sanitary and living arrange
ments OF my employees. The ordinary
mining boarding house is a shack
with poor rooms and poor coo'Ang l
have seen that my men are well housed
and well fed They have places TO diy
their clothes as soon az they come OUT
of the mines. We have baths WIN
porcelain tubs and other modern COM
vcniences. The rooms IN Whlch they
live are lighted with electricity ana
heated by steam, and their meals are
well cooked
do you pay higher wages than other
operatorsY'
II think not" said Mr. Walsh, "al-
though we pay the highest current
rates. We were among the lirst to
adopt the eight-hour day, and ala so
lust after It was decided In the courts
that il could not be enforced
what Is the cause Of the mining
troubles IN Colorado" / asked
"They come from variety Of sourc-
es." WAS the reply, and they have
been largely fomented by leaders Of the
miners unions. l think both operators
and miners have been TO some extent
IN the wrong. The situation is a deplor'
able one.'
CLOSED SHOP AND SYMPATHETIC
STRIKE.
what is the matter with the
unions2"
There Is nothing the matter with
them as unions replied Mr.. walsh. !
have no objection TO such organlza-
lions provided they are carried on upon
proper lines, but the unions insist upon
many things in which do not believe
| am against the closed shop ! do not
approve Of the sympathetic strike nor
the boycott, and ! think every man
should have the right to work and be
sustained In It whether he belongs TO
the union or not. | would not lower
wages, and | should like TO see the
condition OF the working people raised,
not only here, but in Europe as wen.
Conditions In Europe are worse than
they are here. Indeed, one Of the chief
difficulties Of raising our labor Is the
competition which comes IN with the
cheap labor from abroad"
How can such Improvement be
made? BY the Civic Federation, i sup
poser"
Eyes, the Civic Federation can do and
IS doing good" said Mr. Walsh. 1T Is
bringing the employer and employe to-
gether. The employe sees that the em-
ployer has not horns and hoofs, and
the employer IL learning that the em-
ploye al the bottom is the same Kind