The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-09-26
MINES And MINING.
Notes by Edwin Perry, Iowa Sec'y.
United Mine Workers.

idDor. Inc eultOrlai Is so mlSledulus
that we deem it expeiient 20 lay the
facts before the public and allow the
latter to draw its own conclusions.
The claim Is made by the organ
referred to that wages in tle mines
are double what they were eight
years ago. The erudite philosopher
charged with the function of molding
public opinion in behalf OF coal oper-
ators Of the western states is either
grossly ignorant or has otherwise
drawn upon ais imagination in max
ing such claims, and in order TO fur
aish an intelligent comparison of the
wages paid at the present line and
eight years ago, let US take Iowa as
a criterion. Eight years ago the
price for mining in this county rang
ed from seyenty-five t75l cents to
ninety $500 cents per ton. At the
present time the price of, ninety-tive
(95) cents is universal, and other
lines of labor has increased proper
tionately. Top labor in Iowa is
$3.50 per day, and taking into consft-
there is no room for complaint.
The claim that the MINER received
higher wages tnan other crafts, with
the same degree of skill | emphatic
ally deny. Again, the editor pursues
on the theory that the higher the
wages, the less coal is mined. This
statement is unworthy of consi1era-
ton II the learned editor will refer
to the reports of the different states
he will find that he mas simply drawn
upon his imagination, and hence fur
Their comment on this point is I'M
necessary. The editorial in question:
says that coal miners, as a rule, en-
deavor to make mine labor as scarce
as possible for the purpose OF adj
yanclng wages, and states that in or
der to bolster up this claim that the
Illinois law prohibits man from
mining coal unless a period of two
years is served as an apprentice.
This claim is not only erroneous but
misleading. AS far as Iowa is con-
cerned, the priaciple is not even an
issue.
In many of the mines of illinois
large bodies of gas are foun1 and for
this reason, taking into consideration
that there are hundreds Of lives inI
jeopardy, it becomes necessary Tor
some law to protect the lives of such
men against the Indifferent and IN
experienced men that that the en-
ployer might feel disposed to nire.
Again the claim is put forth taat very
few miners are being educated toI
work in the mine. There + some
foundation for the latter claim as tar
as Illinois and some o'her states are
concerned, but Iowa has never at |
tempted to raise the bars of prohibit
ton against anyone. Hence, If incl
editor Of Fuel is so vitality Interested
in this question, he may remove tol
Iowa and our organization will per-
init MIN to take in an inexperienced
man If he so desires, and it will cost
the worthy editor and the inexper- |
fenced individual the same amount
OF initiation fee. On the other hand, |
If the inexperienced individual pre-
fers to work alone, | know of no legal
or moral law that jeprives him of the
prerogatiye, and mere is where theI
operators take exception to our per
sonal rights.
Again the claim is set forth that
thousands Of laborers could enter the
mines if initiation fees and dues werel
less. Let us analyze this propositionI
still further. The editor uncon-
sciously admits that the country pos
sibly would not be better served byl
increasing abnormally the number OF
msa in the mines, but forgot to quail
ify the statement for the benefit OIL
the general public. All there is in
this proposition from a fair and i'm
partial standpoint is to get all you
can for any commodity placed upo1l
the market for sale, after paying thel
cost of production.
Again the claim Is made tlat II
wages were doubled that the situa-
ton would remain the same. Here
Is where the learned gentleman is
begging the question at issue. tor
illustration, supposing that we paid
two dollars $4,000 per day for dig
ging sewers, would any sane man
claim that as result of increasing
wages to four dollars $4,000 per day
that it would not increase the 7um-
Der of men that would be willing toI
engage in such avenues OF employ
meDt, and the same argument would
apply with equal force TO mining aadI
every other industry. Reference is
made to the fact that in Pennsylya-
mia men can join the union Ior a.
nominal sum. Yet this principle does
not increase the number of men in
the mines. The editor OF Fuel was
honest enough 10 admit facts he would
inform the public that this last inaoya-
tica is In harmony vita the wishes
Of the operators of competitive states
or districts. Another fallacious aadI
unfounded argument that | desire to-
call attention to Is the following:
1T Is very often true, ais the miner
expressed at the Southwestern States
4 oaI Onorafors ASsOciafion ,iuri. p