Bisbee daily review., 1907-02-13
AN INDEPENDENT
 MINER's ARGUMENT
(Communicatedl

Sir:-ln view of present efforts to
 establish a Miners Union" in Bis.
 Dee. and newspaper comment thereon.
 a few words expressing the sense of
 the situation. as it occurs to one who
 IS not now. and never has been, d
 member of any Labor Union" nor connected with any newspaper, does l not own a dollars worth of stock in
 any mining company and earns the HYinS for himself and family by the
 labor of his hands, instead of mouth. | and Is therefore in a position to view
 the outlook from a practically ur- l biased standpoint, especially SO, 1 when one can add that he knows
 ne earns his daily stipend of S3.75 per. | and furthermore doesn't care a con- l unental how soon he is fired" from | his joD. Now for the situation: A few years since a level rate of wages was established in Bisbee ! mines of S3.5O per day. same apparent i iy understood to be the regular wage
 when copper was at a normal price. for subsequently,. copper dropped to ! a less figure than what the mining companies considered the normal price for the product and the compa-
 Dies submitted to the men the prop- osition to work for $500 per day or we
 close the mines. Miners agreed to
 the proposition and went to work for S3.00 until the copper market regained
 it's equilibrium. Market price ad- vanced and wages were soon restored to original s3.50 per day.
 During the past year the price of copper scared to, and still remains Ia o hoped for by the most optimistic cop per enthusiast. pouring a flood of wealth into the coffers of the copper mine owners that completely dwarfs the old Oriental tales of magic wealth getting; whereupon-prohably remem- bering that the men had more or less cheerfully, accepted a reduction of 50 cents per day (not 25c), when cop per was at a price below the normal, and probably also having in mind the possibility that the pesicd of low prices might again obtain, with its cor responding call for a $500 rate, they 1 raised the wages 25c (not 50c) until | further notice" (See notices posted | at shafts.l
 So much for the situation as it ex- ists, and now I will express my views l which l know are concurred in by a great many. if not the great majority. | of the miners of the entire district | The mining companies of the district | having advanced the proposition that | the normal wage rate of $S.50, per day depended upon copper remaining at normal price. by their cutting wages 50 cents per day (not 25c) when the price dropped below what they consid- cred the low normal price for the product, ought, in common justice, when copper advanced to a point clear out of sight of anything in the way of even what might be consid- cred a high normal, have granted the nen the same advance in wages they were asked to accept as a reduction; and not as charity, but simply an act lf common justice. saying in effect As We asked a reduction of 50 cents 1t low tide, we will grant the same sG flood, in accordance with the old, )ld, law of give and take" except, hat in this instance it would be take md give. In passing, would say, .hink that now would be a most pro l Jitious time for the companies and miners to come to some definite agreement by adopting "slidine" fage scale, said agreement to be igned by all the companies and II the miners of the district 1 r as \ nearly so as possible. Tn agreement of this kind would. in . ny opinion, do away with the fear f Miners Unions and labor trouble { nightmares by removing any cause ( or same. Have already consumed q much more srace than I intended so Fill stop right now with the parting , nJunction to both companies and men. lave for your motto: Let live. as well s live. Very Respectfully,
 A. RIDGEWAY. i<