The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-15

sensations rather than information or have
allowed themselves to be deceived absurdly.
1t is more difhcult to get facts from this
mining country than from the Balkan war, and
really more dangerous. The country is sue
cession Of steep mountains and deep gorges
All the stations are coal towns The people
are divided into two classes--friends and foes
/ OF the mine operators Both sides have been
taught by experience to be suspicious of all
strangers. hostile to newspaper correspondents
and reticent There Ia not much ceremony in
dealing with intrusive suspected outsiders.
The methods are rough and ready and some
times rather more right than ready. Feeling is
so strong that neutral IL outside the general
comprehension and likely to be regarded as an
enemy or a spy by union men, working miners,
operators, citizens and soldiers alike. and sent
to the right about promptly. This is no cause
for wonder considering the reckless lies that
have been told and written and the bitter par.
tizanship that has been manifested. Senator
Kern, of Indiana and Governor Hatfield, of West
Virginia, in their evactly clashing views of the
situation represent what may be heard every
day in the region itself CONFIDENTIAL informa-
ton is impossible because nobody gives conf
rdence to any new conner.
Representatives of the Appeal to Reason"
the organ Of the Western Socialists, and Of the
Black Diamond, have been over the ground and
their stories contradict each other fatty. al
though each says he has studied the situation
carefully. The Black Diamond editor. however,
unquestonably comes to figures, facts and de-
tails. while his opponent confines himself to
general remarks, descriptive work and rhetoric.
The Black Diamond tells this:
We picked up the first payroll that came
under notice. The first item at the top Of
the page was that ordinary miner who had
worked twenty-five days in March. The gross
amount due him SITS. The check for
rent commissary, and doctor $40. There
was paid him in net cash $f35.
We dropped down to the last in the
page. He had gross income of 17S and
cefved in net cash-he spent more than the
other man-s132. These were not extraordinary
records; they were perhaps little above the
average but they showed easily what the dill
gent man could do.
/ Not being content with the payroll entirely
we went to the drift mouth and talked to the
men as they came cut. At the approach of the
first man, the manager said that this
not good example, he the best
worker in the camp. In reply TO an
this man said that he had earned $10.50 that
day. This miner was quitting work at 4:30
r.. M. The next miner who came out had
earned for that day ss.75. One or two had
earned as little 1925 and $3.50; others had
earned from 81 to $3.50. They did not look
Ike being in abject poverty.
i One of the miners who lived distance
from the mines rode to and from his work on
a horse At least consideration.
such an animal in the parks or on the boule-
wards Of the larger cities would sell readily for
$500 to $500. To such a horse and to
Use it going to and from the mines does not
appeal to being evidence of abject
poverty.
The editor goes to narrate that the miners
with whom he travelled in the mountains wore
shoes better than his for which he paid $3.50
in Chicago; that many of them wore knit ties
at dollar apiece. Chicago price. that the prices
in the commissary stores, as shown on the lists
hung about the walls. are from fifteen to twenty.
five per cent less for fancy groceries than are
, charged in the Chicago stores The miners are
charged 81 month per room rent. The mine
owners build the houses because there is nobody
else to build them and place them near the
banks of creeks or ON hillsides because there
is no other kind of land. Each miner is allowed
IA plat OF ground, on which to raise vegetables
t If he will. Where typographical conditions per
NIT bathrooms and other modern conveniences
I are put In the houses and sanitary conditions
are made good as the habits of the people will
allow.
The Black Diamond editor indicates a COM
rlicated and four-handed fight The mine-own-
ers and operators steadily resist the unions and
believe the organization Of them is financed
and instigated by rival owners In other States.
The Miners union agents are trying desperately
to hold their jobs by maintaining show OF
success and keeping up disturbance. The In
dustrial Workers of the World, taking advantage
of the trouble. are attacking the unions in the
rear and spreading their doctrine Of general revo
luton and destruction and the fight between
their emissaries and the union organizers is az
intense as that between the unions and the
owners The soldier looms over It all and the
one fairly happy citizen is the working miner
who il protected while at his work.
It is a mixture of wrongs and conflicting in.
terests: but one sure fact is that preparation
for 1t by somebody has been long and careful.
The foreign miners were providing themselves
with rifles and ammunition and had more than
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