Year: 1871

THE DEAD LOCK AT MAUCH CHUNK


The result OF the first attempt at arbitration
in the coal difficulties is not encouraging,
though something has certainly been accom-
plished, The representatives of the operators
on the one hand and the miners on the other
were confronted by two classes of questions.
One affected the control of the mines, the
right Of Trades Unions to dictate to the mine
owners who should and VINO should not be
employed, and the right of the Unions to pre-
vent men from working except upon terms
approved by the associations The other class
of questions had reference to the rate of
wages and the basis upon which it was to be
settled. Upon the first class "a decision has
been reached by reference to the umpire, Mr.
Elwell, by whose judgment both parties
have promised to abide. 1t recognizes the
right of every man to decide for himself upon
what terms he will work, and the right con-
seouently of any association of men to strike
for higher wages, or for any reasonable cause |;
but on the other hand il declares that the
operator is entitled to manage his own mihe'
to employ any one who is willing to work 1or
him, and to discharge men for just cause. IL
il, unlawful for any person or ASSOCIATION 10
deter Others, by violence or threats, from
working when, where, and at what rates they
please; and the Unions have no right to de-
mand that none but members of their body
shall be employed OF that any workman sDail
be discharged for Offenses against the asocia-
ton. Operators are not to combine against
the association, or to discharge any man be-
cauae of his connection with it, In case OF Il
disagreement between the operator and the
hands, arbitration is to be tired rather tnan
the extreme measure of q lockout or strike
These rules are all sound and if they be only
observed one great cause of trouble IN the
mines VIII have been removed


But ON the question of wages the two par
ties have not yet agreed upon even basis
for arbitration, and the prospect OF a settle
ment is as remote as ever. The dispute Is
beset with difficulties, traceable in great
measure to the action OF the transportation
companies, which in some OF the anthracite
regions is equally hostile to the operators ana
the men. In the Lackawanna region the car
rying companies and the mining companies
are identical, and there settlement ought 10
be comparatively easy but in Schuylkill there
are three parties to the quarrel, and the un-
fortunate operators are ground between the
neither mill stone of the labOrers demands and
the upper stone of the Reading Railroads ex-
orbitant tolls. Hence there has been dliier-
ent rate of pay and different basis for the
two regions. The miners now say that the
wages and the basis must be everywhere the
same. Labor, they urge, is intrinsically worth
a. much at Pottsyilie as it is at Scranton, and
should be paid as much; and if it costs the
Schuylkil operator more than 1t does
others 10 get his coal to market, that
is his own business; he chose to
invest his capital in an unfayorable
location. and must take the consequences.
The basis of wages for all the anthracite re-
gioDs must therefore be the price of coal III
the New York market, and the settlement
must be general. If the Schuylkill operators
cannot pay expenses under such an arrange
ment, let them put down the exactiOns OF the |
TRANSPORTATION companies. This the operators |
would no doubt be very glad to do If they had |
the power. They have fought the railroads
for years. and have never gained point from
them. There has never been peace except |
where the railroads have obtained entire con-
troll of the mines. Schuylkill therefore reason
ably objects to an arrangement which Is so
palpably unequal. 1t was proposed on the part
of the operators that local boards of arbtra-
ton should be appointed for the settlement OF
wages in the different regions. Thus far the
men not only refuse this offer, but seem in
disposed to submit to arbitration at all, except
on the condition that the New-Iork basis shall
govern the prices at mines which have no ac-
cess to the New-Y York market, and that wages
shall be eqnalized throughout the anthracite
fields 1t is pity that the men should per-
sist in this unwilingness to submit their cause
to fair and impartial tribunal. Whatever the
rights of the case may be, the issue is hardly
doubtful. The hardships of the men have un-
doubtedly been great, and their stolcai per-
sistence in the battle for what they believe to
he their rights must command our sympathles
but it is difficult to see what permanent good
can result from their present attitude.