The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-09-30
Lessons of the Coal Strike.


(B1 Dr.. II. W. Backmar, Professor Of
Sociology and Economics University
of Kansas
The coal strike is ended. Thirty
thousand men who have been out of
employment, most of the time for
ever five months have returned loI
work. An agreement between cEer
atoIs and miners has been reached
which is apparently satisfactory.
The miners cain great victory.
The operators are satisfied and are
preparing to make the public pay
all the cost of the strike. The
miners have gained an increase in
wages of three cents ton on blasted
coal, and five cents ton on picked
coal. This amounts to an average
increase of twenty five cents per day
on wages, and this is practically
what the miners have been contend
ing for. But, this is small victory
in comparison with some Of the
terms of agreement. The agreement
to refer all fu ure difficulties to
arbitration is of tremendous import
ance. 1t is great step in advance.
Also the fx'ng Of penalty for
continuing strike, applicable to
both operator and miner, is another
important step.
Notwithstanding the victories from
the standpoint of the administration
Of justice by self governing people
tie strike was useless and waSteful
affair. 1t brings US back to the old
proposition that the contention and
strife between organized labor on
one hand and organized capital on
the other is a public matter and it is
the duty of all citizens working
through government and law to
assume the responsibility of every
such contention and to provide ways
and means to settle 1t. As a result
of this strike contractors have paid
ten to fifteen cents a ton exus on all
ontracts made since AprilI. This
affected at least geo, 600, ooo tens of
coal. Cash prices since the strike
began have increased an average Of
forty FIVE cents per ton over this
price and these prices have Affected
at least FIVE million tons. For six
weeks prior to this strike on account
of its threatening aspects coal sold
at a dollar a ton over and above
contract prices. Consumers have
already paid one million dollars prior
to this strike, twenty million dollars
in increased prices on contract coal,
two million five hundred thousand
dollars on cash coal, all since April
Ist.
Roughly estimated the strike has
already cost consumers twen,y.three
million Ave hundred thousand dollars.
Since the strike has been settled
prices have gone up twenty i've
cents per ton in order to cover the
cost of increased wages, and the
losses on cessation of operation of
mines. Before the year is out the
cost of this strike to the consumer
will be swelled at least one hundred
million dollars. This burden does
not especially fall upon the Cper
ators, for they will get their morey
back, nor on the miners because
their consumption of coal is com
paratively small, but upon.the public
the innocent> by-standers, the
American people, Aud the Ameri.
can people in one sense deserve this
because they failed to exercise the
opportunities given item by self
government to put such laws in force
as will prevent the occurrence Of
such unfortunate and expensive
Affairs as strikes. The loss in wages
to the thirty thousand miners in FIVE
months was not less than twelve
million five ehundred Thousand dollars.