The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-07-07

II,y,,, l.rr President of the United
Nina. NolArts of America, had the fol-
loalug to say:
Tin. rii.r workers OF Illinois are de-
,,ru,in,d Ia win the strike now in prog
l,s, IL TINS state.
such I,.,:nination springs from the
,a,t 1ht.t the scale and conditions asked
iy oar organization are reasonable and
pI-t and io not i'll amy sense equal the
increase ~ the cost Of living that has
taken r,lrc during the past few years.
lup equations enjoying advantageous
ltrrr,ujGllo III the mining price in
northern ald southern Illinois have made
,normou, profits by virtue of these in
~iuatiti"-. For example, take the fgur-
Is submitted in financial report issued
by the tuted Coal Company at Christie
l,hrr, Frisnkiin County, Illinois, one of
lie places where this low mining rate
exists The figures are as folIows:
"l'hc net earnings of the company for
The past year, ending March 81, 1910,
were follows:
'IrohS eat uIugS po IL ,33O,.3
Operating expenses, including
taxes 4O7, ,0O3.24
Net earnings from operation
$1O4,327 O7
Other Income C.. NJ. Moderwell
\ co.... ............ 37,9O3. .O6
Total E'' earnings. $l42 ,23O 13
Lo,rst CHARGES on 100000
i per com bonds 3O,0OO.0O
Balance ..........$1 $112 ,23O. .13
This all nIldr on $$5O0,OOO capital.
The mu'ls from whose sweat and
hi"a" hts" vast profits We're coined were
mol raI!rd upon to share in this pros
lrrliy he was asked to be content,
To continue working for the enrichment
OF the tr". and to accept the operators
''rn> KS his part Of the bargain.
fb'. mu!,rrs of the other side loudly
lr''" "l the capital invested in mines.
10 ij'' ever stop to consider the human
phase OF thrs problem?
To tHrN ever consider that the miner
h1~ s"m~hmg greater than capital in
vested JU tur mining industry?
lie aa, his life invested and risks it
dal' '0 ouo of the most hazardous of
nl orrupltious.
lie Has his health invested. as is
"lNr'd t'"fu II" countless eases of asth-
ma "r miners consumption contracted
ny ""tE " tie mines. He has his eyes
""' 1"s~ HNrstcd. as will be seen by
an rNo''a'lon of records of the state
"I"'. .a' "". showing thousands of dol
1'- j91' "u' tor disability ben ncfits to
members Of the organization who have
'>' eyes Juj limbs i'll pursuit of their
i''.'"- 's"rati"n. lie has the material
w't"r" "' himself, wife and child in
vested /" the sale of his labor power,
h We -.'" H his brain and Drawn, and
T" "".. m hss than human did he not
''' Hrs ''nn"nNation for the leading part
' ''"lr '' wealth productions, something
''''' '"n Il bare animal existence; if
'' '.- ."' ork for some relief at this
..' III" selling price of coal and
''.' ..".'.ous are so favorable to the
"''"- ut the operator.
consider the increase in the
..'4g. with no corresponding
'''.- u '," value of the miner s la
"t .''r, o'"ng with burdcnsome con-
-"' ~ th" payment of the wages
S' .''-. Il can readily be seen that
OF Illinois have Just cause
amt and are determined to
JOSS before they return to
Ho chief contentious is that
'"ss should pay the wages of
is prescribed by state law.
We have been reimbursing
''f TOR TIE wages paid shot
"y Indirectly violating the
This unjust condition was
' Nh" mon when the industrial
'.s bad and at time when
I"pr"rnred to resist the power
'O| wealth. But in every con.
have protested against the
''n"d violation of this law, a
las for its purpose the better
@t the life and limb of the
-"-Itl"n of the operators on this
logical, they might as well
'ri'r the cost of all Legislation
" better safeguard the life OF
On the same premise they