New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-28
THE COAL SITUATION.

The announcement made by John Mitchell,
president of the United Mine Workers. that a
new national convention of that order will be
called for March Is indicates that substantial
progress has been made In settling outstanding
differences between the coal miners and the coal
operators \ letter addressed by President
Roosevelt to Mr. Mitchell and to Mr. Francis l..
Robbins. the chairman of the executive commit
tee of the soft coal operators organization
seems 10 have brought about better under
standing and a clearer realization by both inter
ests OF their responsibilities TO the consuming
public. The President frankly told the miners
and the operators that general strike IN the
coal industry. such as has been threatened, would
he "a menace 10 the peace and general welfare
of the country" He therefore urged further
effort TO reach an anicable agreement, such as
has for years past contributed TO harmony and
prosperity in the bituminOus field. Mr.. Robbins,
who had UP TO Wednesday been scouting all talk
of compromise and freely predicting a rupture
Oh April ]. seems TO have yielded to the Presi-
dents sensible suggestions and to have Endorsed
Mr. Mitchells programme for holding new
convention and reopening negotiations With
both organizations ready TO discuss compromise,
peace should easily be patched up
The Tribune has contended from the begin
ming that a general strike was improbable, for
the excellent reason that there is no economic
justification for a conflict in either the btu
mnous or the anthracite industry President
Mitchelrs policy Of tying up the hard coal
miners and the soft coal miners in thlck-and-
thin alliance has unfortunately complicated the
situation. His insstence on the passage OF
resolution by the last miners national conven-
ton compelling an agreement made i'll any one
district TO be submitted in advance for approval
10 the miners of every other district was a clear
rNrinn
absurd that the miners in an out of the way
region like British Columbia should be allowed
10 step in and impose a veto on arrangements
made with employers by hard coal workers in
the Schuylkili district OF Pennsylvania or soft
coal workers in Indiana or Illinois. Under this
resolution a refractory handful OF strikers i'll
Alabama. for instance, where a strike has been
in progress for over year. could stop coal min
ing iby union minersl all over the United States,
although the operators they were fighting were
In no way associated with or controlled by the
great mass of employers against whom war was
10 be waged.
1t is perhaps President Mitchell's intention TO
secure the repeal Of this veto provision at the
next national convention. If he succeeds, a COM
promise with the bituminOus operators will pre-
sent few difficulties The soft coal industry is
in a fOurishing condition to-day. and the out
look for 1906 is excellent. The miners ask
slight increase In the wage scale cut three years
ago in a period Of depression. The margin is
much too small to quarrel over seriously-cer-
lainly too small to Justify a general suspension
of soft coal production. In the anthracite field
also the operators and miners have little 10
haggle over. The year 1905 was one Of the best
years in the hard coal industry, both for the
operators and for the miners and if a break
comes il will be because one side or the other
fooishly insists sacrificing substance to
shadow. The President is right IN reminding
the rival interests of their duty to the public.
which would look with little tolerance on
rupture which a little exercise of reason could
have avoided.