The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-11
Circulars Sent Out State That Industrial Depression is
 Now in Sight
BEST FOR ORGANIZATION
 ID ACCEPT THE DECREASE
Amounts to Only 5.55 Per Cent and 1t Is Felt That Later on Still
 Greater Reduction
 May Come. F

Indianapolis Ind, March 10.-The Uni ted Mine Workers local unions in In- diana. Ohio, western Pennsylvania Mary land, central Pennsylvania, Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia and Iowa that are to participate In the referendum vote Tuesday on the proposition of accepting a reduction of 5.55 per cent in wages or of closing the soft coal mines on April l, will receive their ballots tomorrow. With the ballots are being sent out the circular letter that the national conven- | ton authorized setting out it's recom- mendations that the reduction be accept ed, and stating the reasons for accept Ing. The letter says in part:
 Are Not Afraid to Strike.
 No one who is familiar with the past history Of the United Mines Workers of America will charge either of us with be- ing afraid to strike if In our judgment a strike would accomplish beneficial re- suits, but when 1t is proposed to risk all that our organization has gained for mine-workers the past seven years by means of conciliation, arbitration and strikes on the issue of a single conflict. Q.O employers is but 3 cents per ton on a run-of-mine basis, and cents per ton on lump coal basis, we believe 1t Is time to stop and carefully consider the pos sible consequence of such an important act.
 Since 1895 our organization has been rising on the crest of an industrial boom. It has rapidly increased in numbers and financial strength. which, in connection with a conservative policy, has enabled 1t to increase our wages in the competitive field an average of over 75 per cent. Ii has firmly established uniform eight hour work day.
 Approaching Industrial Depression.
 Tt Is conceded on all sides that the apex of industrial activity has been reach ed and we are slowly advancing towards an industrial depression.
 We know how hard 1t is to be com pelled to accept reduction In wages, but 1t is believed better to accept a slightly lower rate and hold your organization in- tact, than to be forced to accept a greater reduction at the end of disastrous strike.
 If strike is inaugurated we have no assurance that we will be able to control the situation in West Virginia outside of the Kanawha field and a few openings on
 
 can the Irwin, Connellsville and Klondike fields in Pennsylvania be depended on to cease work If a dispensation is de- clared.
 VIII Continue at Work.
 "On the contrary the indications are that they will continue at work. Men win strike and suffer all the hardships of a long struggle when thew know that others are striking also; will hesitate, weaken and finally return to work when day after day coal is being produced and shipped past their own doors into the markets which they have formerly supplied The experiences of the past have shown us conclusively the folly of striking when the markets are going down.
 "All we have to do is to remember the anthracite strike of 1875, the dissolution of the joint agreement Of 1885, the coke strike of 1891 and the general suspension of 1894 in order to be convinced of the truth of this statement. We are now up- on the eve of Presidential election. and these years are proverblally dull because of the commercial disturbance which they produce. A two-year contract would carry us beyond the period of the election and the unsettled industrial con ditions that follow in its wake. In addi- ton, it would cause our contracts to ex- pire at the same time as the anthracite award. and put us in position 10 act with greater unity if we so desired, than we could act at any other time.
 Highest Price In Years.
 When we consider the price offered to US in two year contract is the highest price we have had for many years, with the exception of the present one. we re- peat that 1t would be the most serious mistake our organization has ever made to take the chances of losing the scale we are offered the eight-hour work day, the seven cent differential between pick and machine mining already established in some states; the check-off system. the joint conference movement and the or ganization which has enabled us to se- cure these things, and many other rights and privileges which we did not formerly possess, in an attempt to maintain a rate of three cents and five cents per ton, greater than we can secure by peaceable agreements"