The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-22


is not a distinct or separate organ.
cation, but is under the control of the
bituminouS miners union. The condi
tions upon which anthracite coal is
mined and marketed are, the operators
claim, entirely different from those
which characterize the mining and
marketing of bituminous coal. Very
few, if any, of the executive officers
of the miners union have any knowl-
edge of anthracite coal mining. But
if the anthracite mine workers of tie
anthracite districts of Pennsylvania
would separate, from the bituminous
miners union and would organize an
independent union then the probability
is very strong that the operators would
be willing to recognize this union. AS
the situation is today they feel thar
they cannot do it, and if a strike
should hinge upon this issue it would
probably be long continued, unless the
mine workers of Pennsylvania speedily
withdrew that demand.
The Question of Wages.
Twice since 1900 the anthracite
miners have received an advance of
wages. The operators insist that an
other advance cannot be granted I'm
less it is made clear that the consum-
ers of anthracite coal would make no
objection to paying the increased cost
which would be entailed by an adj
vance of 20 per cent. This increased
cost would amount, approximately, to
81 cents a ton. The advance in wages
of 20 per cent asked for by the min
ers would amount to $2S,000,000 an
nually and, in addition, there would
operation of the sliding scale which
now gives the mine workers a partici-
patton in advancing prices.
As the aggregate profits of the en-
tire anthracite mining business
amount, according to the operators to
about ten millions a year, then, if their
estimates be accepted as correct, an
increase of 20 per cent for wages of
miners would absorb these profits and,
in addition, represent a loss of @Sout
twenty millions unless the operators
could find some way by which they
could realize from the sale of coal a
sum equal to the increase in wages
That way would be found if the price
if anthracite to consumers were in
creased sixty-seVen cents a ton. The
operators claim that by reason of var
ious conditions of anthracite coal in
recent years the margin of profit is
now at so low a point as to make
further reduction impracticable.
What the situation Is.
These two points being the really
important matters at issue between
the mine workers and the operators,
and one of them, the recognition of
the union, being regarded by the OPP
orators as impossible. there remains
only the question of advanced wages
is the real problem created by the
situation. If there be suspension of
work six weeks the question of wages
will be the only subject of serious
consideration.
Although it has been said that the
miners have in their treasury a fund
sufficient to support them for a consid-
cradle time, and that they will be able
to rely upon the strike wages which
will be contributed by the bituminous
miners, yet the fact is believed to be
this: The anthracite mine workers
have about thirty thousand dollars in
their treasury. Bituminous mine
workers have a like amount on hand.
Of course, the anthracite workers, if
they quit work, will, after they have
exhausted the thirty thousand dollars,
past has shown that the bituminous
nous miners. But experience in the
past has shown that the luminous
miners do not greatly relish contribut-
ing strike wages for the anthracite
miners. 1t may be that this condi-
ton furnishes one of the reasons for
the expectation that suspension of
work in the anthracite regions will
not be continued for a longer period
than six weeks
orators base the hope or expectation
that the suspension of mining, if it
comes at all, will not be for a longer
period than six weeks is the fact that
never since anthracite coal began to
be mined have the conditions in the
anthracite region been, on the whole,
as satisfactory as has been the case
since the work done by the anthracite