New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-11
THE COAL SITUATION.

Mr. Willcox's letter 10 President John Mitch
ell, which we published yesterday. should help
10 quiet aarmist talk about the inevitableness
of another coal strike Speaking for the hard
coal Operators Mr. w illcox declares that they
are not seeking quaTel and will take no &C
ton TO provoke one They are entirely willing
TO renew from April l next the agreement under
which they have been operating since the close
of the last strike. That agreement was drawn
by an arbitration board appointed by President
Roosevelt II gave an absolute increase of
wages to the miners of 10 per cent and to other
employees of 1l9 per cent In addition it au-
thoriZed an advance Of per cent in wages with
each rise Of five cents in the price of prepared
sizes of coal. A permanent Cancellation board
was established and certain abuses in man.
ageme0t were rectifed On the whole the award
guaranteed marked improvement In the status
Of the anthracite miner, and at the same time
contributed BEAUTIFULLY TO the development of
the hard coal industry. The anthracite ship
ments in 1861 41O201 tons-were the largest
on record They showed a gain OF nearly four
million tons over 1904 and of 2o4s,O0O over
1903 the previous high record
Both miners and operators have reason to be
satisfied with the workings of the commissions
award and to be content TO renew IL Left to
themselves they could easily reach an agree
nent But unfortunately, extraneous and arti-
fetal Influences have 10 be reckoned with. While
the anthracite workers are well off the btu
minous miners probably have some claim to
better wages. and IL has been the aim of Presi-
dent Mitchell 20 de the bituminous and anthra-
cite workers together in one hard and fast or
gsnization although The interests of the two
bodies Of miners are not identical and conditions
In the two fields are by no means parallel The
interests of the bituminous and anthracite oner-
ators sre absolutely different: for every limita.
ton on the hard coal output creates demand for
soft coal at an advance in price. The anthracite
strike OF 1902 brought an extraordinary
boom in the soft coal industry: and il was hint
ed that soft coal producers did a good deal
toward stinening the resistance OF the hard coal
workers. Mr.. Mitchell probably thinks that he
can bring the workers in the two fields together
while holding the operating interests apart.
and IL may be that he is now fomenting dis.
agreements In the anthracite region for strategic
purposes He will probably try to play each
combination of operators against the other hop
Ing In the enc 10 gain some not too burdensome
concessions in each branch OF the Industry.
There is. however. little or no economic iusti.
hcation for hostilities In either coal field. The
anthracite product is being mined I'm greater
quantity than ever, and al advanced prices
The demand for soft coal for Industrial and
transportation uses is outrunning the SUNNY
rapidly the supply has been expanded since
1900. There are said to be no surplus stocks
OF bituminous coal on hand and q six weeks
strike would send all coal prices soaring The
mines would then have 10 reopen with a higher
wage scale. as the anthracite mines did in 1902
hfter suffering enormous losses. But the btu
rlinous industry Is not close combination like
the anthracite industry. and could not make good
It's losses and extra cost Of operation by ard
hcaaily raising the level OF prices. The differ
eocN bt,--A the bituminon~ operators and