The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-01-20
THE COAL MINERS.

LIE COA1 MlNGhS.
Recognition of the Union Demanded.
Wages and Tariff. - :
Protected trusts plunder, them of
hard-earned money-the initiative and
referendum the first step to secure a
square DEAL
Deacon Baer. who tmpiously stated
that the Lord put him in charge of the
anthracite coal fields to administer them
In the interest of the coal trust is now
the only president Of the coal railroads
that objects to recognition of the min
ers' unions. He will probably have to
give in to tht majority, as he was COM
PEELED to do in the great strike three
years ago. AS the values of the stocks
of the coal railroads have all greatly
advanced and even the Reading railroad
Is paying dividends on millions of wat
ered stock, there can be no excuse for
not recognizing the miners or giving
the miners a reasonable increase in
wages, SO why disrupt the present ar
rangement between the operators and
the miners. The price Of coal has been
advanced much more than the pay of
the miners and the increased cost Of
living has quite kept even with the
price of COAL so that the miners today
are not so we'll off as they were before
the big strike. but the trust is making
more money.
AS long as the present system of pro-
tecting the trusts is maintained. so that
they can clear enormous profits, there
{c hr1f 1<
cost Of living. The tariff protects the
trusts, that control nearly all the nee
essities Of life, from foreign competi-
tion. but at the same time these COM
binations are selling their products
cheaper abroad than here. AS the min
ers and other tOllers have to pay rhls
tariff tax, they must receive high
enough wages to allow them to do SO.
OF course, they never do receive their
fair share of what the trusts get,
whether it be coal miners or textile
workers. or the toilers in any other
protected industry for the tariff was
not enacted for their benefit but to help
the favored protected interests that
control and subslze the politicians
Deacon Baer will have to take his med
icine and treat with the organized
miners, in fact If he only had sense
enough to see it, he can make better
terms with the unions than he could
with the Individual miner, besides saw
ing himself a great deal Of trouble and
xation.
The mine workers to obtain justice
and obtain full reward for their labor
must work for the referendum and in
itiative by voting only for those can
didates for congress- and the legisla-
ture who are pledged to vote to pass
such law. With the referendum sys-
tenn established the reform legislation
that the miners and other labor unions
desire can be secured and obnoxious
laws can be repealed.
Government by injunction would be
thing Of the past. 49, The brutal coal
sAEaH@ pol iasad erss cont trpi
operators and their SUCCESSORS the state
constabulary would be abolished or
would be honestly helpful in preserv-
ing order. because under the referendum
system they would be controlled by
officers who would use fair play for
the min Child labor would be un-
necessary for the miner would receive
enough pay to properly support his
family and with good schools the boys
would be able to seek less arduous
and exacting labor than their fathers
have endured
These are some of the ultimate ad-
vantages the referendum and initiative
offer to the toiler Of the nation.