Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-10-07
CBy c. X. Adams)

WASHINGTON, ID. &C., October g.
(SpeciaD-The Sherman Antitrust
law, the victor of many battles in
which the advocates of business free
dow have endeavored to concentrate
their forces in attack, will, if plans do
not fail, be the object of assault for
the first time since it's passage in 1890,
OF combined force of employers and
employees, united in action, seeking one
relief, when the next Congress meets.
For the past fifteen years bitumin-
Gus coal operators of the competitive
Estates, have lodged complaint after
complaint against the operation of the
measure, characterizing the law as
ruinous and prohibiting the very basic
! organization necessary to govern the
sales channels of soft coal production
From time to time attempts have been
made to have an Interpretation placed
on the measure that would permit the
industry to regain the stability enjoy
ed prior to it's rigid enforcement But
every effort in this direction met with
failure.
The workers in the mines, as in
other industries, having been led to be-
Ilieve by designing politicians, that the
measure would be the greatest bene-
ificiary law ever enacted, were slow to
understand its operation and the
,wreckage that was piling here and
there from interpretations that were
being given it's provisions by the court
and commissions. They wondered
how it was that heretofore prosperous
companies could only operate half
time and even under half time opera
tons could not find a profitable mar
ket for their product. Investigations
followed These Investigations reveal,
ed that the big transportation compan-
les were gobbling up old mines, devel-
oping new fields and making for such
properties new and lower freight rates
which would enable them to control
the market price on certain grades OF
coal at will. The miners became in
tensely interested in studying condl-
lions, but took no action. They sought
to diagnose the disease before they at
tempted to apply the remedy. 80,
after several years of careful investi-
cation, representatives of the miners
gathered in wage conference at Cleve-
land, Ohio, decided that some method
of regulation must necessarily be per-
mitted or otherwise the bituminous
coal industry in it's present submissive
state to flake regulation" would bank
r,ppt the Independents who CHANGED
their capital, retard development and
bring to the mine worker enforced
idleness and uncertainties of employ
ment. The miners went still further
in considering the matter; they IN
structed their international Executive
Board to cooperate, using all honor
able means, with the coal operators
in effecting a re-adjustment by law,
such as would restore the stability of
the bituminous industry,
The international Executive Board
meeting at Indianapolis, has just au-
thorized President White, Vice Presi-
dent Hays and Secretary Green, as
committee to meet the representatives
of the coal operators and outline some
plan whereby the industry can shake
for all time to come the "cut throat
methods" that have prevailed during
the past fifteen years. The operators,
representing as they do the worst or
ganized of American industries, Will
within the next week select like COM
'mittee to meet the representatives OF
the minrs to formulat plans to Sc re
the long sought relief. @
Although no intimation has been
given of the relief plan, both miners
and operators VIII be prepared TO
prove to the "doubters" that interpre-
cations of the sherman law" have en-
larged the waste incident to coal min
ing in the soft coal regions twofold
and the danger to human life to an
appalling state.
In many states the bottom seams of
sigh quality coal is being left untouch-
ID a become waste forever simply be-
canse prohibition of trade agreements
win not permit its being mined at a
profit.
Mine inspectors are permitting vio-H
lations of safety laws and the miners
are taking the chances incident to-
-. uiolatinns hacansa IN realize the