New-York tribune., 1912-04-15
COOPERATIVE INNING.

The current strikes ana COnLlONeISIeS
In the mining industry in four or more
Of the principal countries of the world,
and the demand which some are making
for a radical change in the industrial
system which shall make the workmen
the owners Of the mines in which they
work recall 10 mind an interesting
though scarcely encouraging experiment
in that direction which was made III
France. 1t was something more than
score of years ago, in May, 1891, that
the "Mnc des Mineurs" was organized
at Monthieux, near st Etienne, and it
was less than four years ago, in 1905,
that the experiment came to sugges-
tive end.
The Monthieux Coal Mine Company
at the date first named closed and Of
fered for sale its mine, upon which In
ten years it had spent $500, 900 without
adequate return. The property was
valued at SG25 600, but the company Of
fered to sell it for $4,000 in. vain.
Then the Syndicate Of Loire Miners to
which the WOrkmen in that mine be
lOnged, concluded that here was good
chance to put into effect their cherished
theory Of the Mine aux Mineurs" by
purchasing it and operating 1t for them
selves They did so. The Municipal
Council Of St Etienne subscribed 5000,
the Municipal Council Of Paris like
sum. the Chamber of Deputies $4,000,
the Minister of Commerce 81 .Ooo the
Petit Journal" $4,000, the state regis
tration fees Of $1,000 were remitted and
the old company sold the mine to the
syndicate for $1,000. Under these cir
cumStanceS the cooperative mine was
started in December 1891, employment
being restricted 10 members Of the Loire
Syndicate. which owned t.
Ten days later trouble began. The
syndicate held that the men in the mine
should work at the lowest possible
wages and that the profits should go
into a fund for the support Of strikes
elsewhere. The mon in the mine on the
other hand. insisted that as they were
doing the work they were entitled to
the profits Within Il few months the
dispute became so violent as TO cause
the closing of the mine. New directors
were chosen and work was resumed,
only TO he marked by other troubles.
A Sharcholding workman assaulted his
foreman with an axe and was dismissed
from the mine, but was rcnstated by
the courts. Another insutcd director
and was dismissed, only also TO be rein
stated. Then auxiliary employees. not
shareholders, demanded TO be made
shareholders without cost because OF
their work in the mine, and had their
demand granted by the courts. Finally,
In 1908, with no profits to divide and
with disScnsiOns on every hand, the en-
tcrplise completely collapsed and was
abandoned.
II may in addition be noted that
while II was in operation this mine
abandoned picccwork and introduced
the minimum wage" for which British
miners have been clamoring, with the
result Of causing much dissatisfaction
and unpopuarity. and also that when
the general strike In all other mines
occurred the miners i'm this mine kept
at work and in consequence had TO be
protected by troops against the fury Of
the strikers. II IS probable that the
failure Of the enterprise was assured in
advance by the poverty Of the property,
but if WAS emphasized by the instability
and disSensions which marked the man
agement while the management itself
displayed some of the identical pracs
tices which are so bitterly condemned