The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-11
A Suggestion From the Coal strike

A Suggestion From the Coal Strike.
The anthracite miners are finding con-
ISOLATION in the fact that for the first time
In the history Of their organization they
have a signed agreement between the
employers and a committee representing
the union, They are disposed to regard
this as %tantamount to the greatly de-
sired recognition OF the union.' The
cost of this recognition" has been enor-
nous. The miners share OF the ex-
pense is estimated at from 5000, 900 to
SIC, 900, 900, or about 500 for each union
miner, although the burden fell upon
both union and non-union men.
To recognition of such a nature there
Is and can be no reasonable objection.
A considerable measure Of recognition
is ever imperative under present con-
ditions. In large enterprises the work.
ingman can no longer be dealt with Is a
unit. There Is nothing new in this idea
or in the system which has grown out Of
it. The idea is a century old, and the
system found definite establishment in
England in 1871. Under the methods
followed in earlier days each employer
dealt directly with the employee as an
individual, on the basis Of the personal
merit or the ability Of the workman or
on that of the immediate conditions in
the labor market. The employment OF
men in hundreds and in thousands by a
single concern led to uniform wage rates
and working conditions in the various
lines of occupation in such concerns.
Uniformity Of conditions in correspond
ing branches of industry In a certain
locality or throughout the entire country
is only a logical outcome OF uniformity
in individual establishments. 1t Ia a
commercial and industrial convenience,
il 1t is not an actual necessity. The
industrial methods Of the time make
the old system almost impossible. The
labor union is a medium through which
it becomes possible to deal with labor in
the ass
The system Of collective bargaining
is sufficiently sound as a system, but 1t
goes entirely to pieces when either party
to the arrangement, wage Garner or
wage payer, essays diotation Of an un-
reasonable bargain with a menace 40
oompanying the proposal. This was
never better illustrated than it has been
in the recent disturbances in the coal
fields, and IL unionism reads Its lesson
with proper care the experience may be
worth all 1t has cost. The coal miners
ignored fundamental principles, de-
handed more pay and easier conditions
of labor, and threatened the paralysis
Of the nations industries II compliance
with their demands was refused. That
is the bargain Of highwaymen and not
Of the business man.
Let the situation be reversed. Let II
be supposed that the mine owners had
declared a 10 per cent. reduction In wages,
an increase Of an hour a day in working
time, and had threatened q protraoted
lockout If their terms were refused. Had
this been done and the threat carried
into effect, 1t is doubtfuli if a single breaker
would have been left standing thirty
days after the mine gates we're closed.
Yet such a proposition would have been
no more than JOHN MTTCHELL's boot
put on the other leg, The owners had
exactly the same moral and legal right
to make such a demand and threat as
the operatives had to make their demand
and threaten to back it with a strike.
The miners campaign, i~naugurated
nearly a year ago, was based on a natural
desire for more wages and shorter hours
of labor. 1t failed because It was with
out proper justification. During the
campaign Join MITCHELL repeatedly