Terre Haute, Ind., March 31, 1904.
_To the S. D. Herald_:
Now that the threatened coal strike has ended in a tame surrender, and a
two years’ scale at a reduction of wages has been virtually forced upon
the miners by a coalition of their leaders with the operators, a certain
small and obscure press dispatch—a mere word to the wise, yet sufficient
at the time—takes on immense interest in its prophetic significance.
The delegates to the late Indianapolis convention of miners whom I had
occasion to address, will no doubt remember my words, and those who were
angered because I told them in plain terms what has since come true
almost to the letter, will perhaps be willing to forgive me.
But to the dispatch. Here it is just as it was sent out by the
Associated Press from Pittsburg under date of March 6 and just as it
appeared in the morning dailies of the same date:
“Pittsburg, Pa., March 6.—The Post tomorrow will say:
“There was by no means a hopeless spirit among the returning coal
operators from the Indianapolis convention with the miners which closed
Saturday with a disagreement.
“From the best of authority the Post was informed yesterday that the
break in the negotiations between the two interests is not a permanent
one and that by March 21, another meeting of joint sub-committees will
be held quietly. The whole matter will again be discussed among them and
a solution to the present difficulty sought. It was further said that
there was every reason for believing that the ultimate end of the whole
matter would be the acceptance of the lower rate by the miners, or the
85 cents a ton base for pick mining, for the next two years.”
Here we have it that the operators knew in advance that there would be
no strike and that the miners would accept the reduction, and this they
knew notwithstanding the fact that the convention, by a solid vote of
the states, had refused to accept the reduction and virtually declared
for a strike.
Let us examine the situation a moment. The joint convention of miners
and operators adjourned sine die March 5. No agreement had been reached.
All negotiations were ended. A strike, so the papers declared, was
inevitable. Only a miracle could prevent it.
The miners and operators returned to their homes. Preparations began for
war. It was at this juncture that the above dispatch went out from
Pittsburg. It was doubtless intended as a “tip” to the capitalists and
stock gamblers of the country, and was issued immediately upon the
return of the Pennsylvania operators from the Indianapolis convention.
Pittsburg, be it remembered, is the home of President Robbins of the
Pittsburg Coal Co. and floor leader and spokesman of the operators in
all joint conventions with the miners. It is quite evident, therefore,
that “the best of authority” quoted in the above dispatch was none other
than Robbins and it is equally evident that he knew what he was talking
about, for his prediction of surrender, made in face of the fact that
the national convention had virtually declared for war, was fulfilled to
the letter.
The question is, did Robbins, chief of the operators, have an
understanding with Mitchell, president of the miners? It must be
admitted that it looks that way. Proof may be lacking, but the
circumstances combine to make that conclusion almost inevitable.
When the miners first met in convention President Mitchell and the other
leaders were quite aggressive. They were going to sweep all opposition
before them and get what they wanted, for they had an organization that
could and would carry the day.
A set of demands, including increased wages, was at once formulated and
the performance began. Mitchell, taking the floor for the miners, proved
by the facts and figures that they were asking only what was reasonable,
that the financial reports of the coal companies showed large increase
in profits over the preceding years, that the operators could well
afford to make the concessions and that they, the miners, were “terribly
in earnest” and that the United Mine Workers of America would under no
possible circumstances “take a backward step.”
As the fight progressed the leaders of the miners made one concession
after another until they had finally surrendered everything. But the
operators were not satisfied. They had come with love in their hearts
and a made-to-order, warranted-to-fit reduction of wages in their grips,
just because they were all in the same economic class and their
interests were therefore identical, and to prove it they permitted their
own leaders to scale down the bulging wages of the opulent coal diggers.
But the delegates, having given up everything, balked at last. Even
Mitchell’s “masterful effort” in behalf of the operators fell flat.
The reduction would not go down.
The convention voted to fight and the delegates went home to prepare for
hostilities.
Now read the dispatch again in the light of what followed.
As soon as the convention adjourned, the leaders of the miners began to
work upon the rank and file, very many of whom are so pitifully ignorant
that they look upon a union official as a Chinaman does upon his Joss.
President Mitchell, from being “terribly in earnest” in behalf of the
miners, became the special pleader of the operators.
Oh, what a transformation!
Mitchell, the labor leader, and Robbins, the labor exploiter, pooling
issues and joining hands to force down the wages of the mine slaves!
Oh, what a spectacle!
With all possible haste the national and state leaders made their rounds
among the faithful. The “dangerous” locals and districts were all
visited and mass meetings held to save the operators.
The slaves had instinctively rebelled against the wage cut, and the
rebellion must be put down by their own leaders if they expected the
plaudits of the capitalist exploiters and the “well done” of the pulpit,
press and “public.”
Alternate pleas, warnings and threats were turned on until the fires
were put out and the day was saved for the operators.
Only a little while ago Gompers warned the capitalists that reduction of
wages would not be tolerated and solemnly enjoined his followers to
resist them to the last.
Mitchell, Shaffer and other lieutenants of Gompers are the active allies
of the capitalists in enforcing reductions.
Watch the developments!
To conclude: The United Mine Workers of America has been struck by
lightning.