The Cairo bulletin., 1905-06-26
MINERS DO RIGHT.

There is a threatened ockout of the
10000 or $4,000 union coal miners in
the state of Illinois. Tie operators
have del vered an utimatum to the
miners that unless they negotiate a
new agreement before June 50, all tha
miners in The state under the juris-
dlction of the Illinois Operators asso
ciat on win be closed The operators
demand that tho miners reimburse
them the amount that will be involved
in the employment of expert shot fir
ers under the law passed by tie last
legislature ana VII CHI goes into ef'
feet July /
The operators have assumed thai
the miners are wong in not yielding
% tho demands Of the operators. and
have proceeded to deal arbitrarily witt
the miners and TO force them TO &C
cclc to their demands. The operators
as yet show no incl nation to be fair
but say to the miners, You muss dc
as VIC say" The miners in reply have
been more tlan fair and have come out
squarely and fairly with counter
proposition to the operators tina, tho
matter be amicably adjusted, that the
question be left to arbitration. and tina
pending The arbitration Of the trouble
the mines continue operation on the
Id has S.
What could be more complete il
4 lts fairness or more eommenGahl
from a standpoint Of honor2 The min
lers have sngEcste that Governor De-
Ineen be accepted as arbtrat1r. II
he operators do not agree 10 this
3Ian. then the miners suggest that two
lminers and two operators forEI d com
omission to arhitrate the trouble, auG
4 in the event this commission does no
agree, hat il be empowered % name
ia fifth man whose decision shall b.
final
The miners evidently want 10 d.
he right thing by the operators; the
want to do the right III ng BY them
selves, and they want to Do tae RICH
timing by the public,
After all il said and done, the pub
lie Is actually the most vitality import
ant factor to the controversy, and es
lpacially should it eliminate in lock
: 1ut and a suspension Of mining. Sucl
: a lockout would work irraparable n
t Jury to the state. It would crippl
\ industries and directly and indrectl,
9 do the people an injury which the pee
r pie should not be compelled to endur
simply because the miners or the opeI
t ators may be trying 10 gain an unfa!
n advantage one of the o,her
Now that tao miners have takel
:. he initial We and offered TO settle tn
r question by arbitration should tn
operators refuse this amicable plan O
3 ldiustmen. Of the difficulty. the Ell
h ire guilt for injustice done the peopl
md the state would rest with the opal
K ,tors The employers can ill-afford a
S this time to deal unfa rly with the COZ
/. sumner of coal and with the peopl
e and the industries upon wAieh the
j. depend for so much. Had the miner
declined to make the fair and squar
1. loffer they have made, the operator
4 might have had some excuse for r.
fusal to arbitrate, but now the IN
4 responsibility rests with the oper
Il tors They should at least be as IA
Z. with the miners as the miners hay
- been with the operators. and Thu
would a disastrous lockout be aver
I'd, millions saved in money, sufferin
prevented which such lock.outs alwaN
Involve. the innocent being usually n
most severe sufferers, and both mine
4 and operators by accepting peace wi
win the approval and congratulate
of the people and the state. TO Il
= miners at this time Is sincere congfa
Il ulation due for their present mani
- fair and busness-lke attitude.
- Springfield State Register.