Show THE READING TROUBLE president corbin of the reading kail road has stated that the trouble Is at last ended and that it will never be opened up again while v this is so there are many i necked with the serious affair that us to be dubious to say the leas cho great strike in the coal regions of pennsylvania was cot a very auspicious opening for trade and industry in the new year and president corbia must feel to a certain sible for the trouble the difficulty began with the employed emp loyes of the reading railroad who struck because they were required to do something in violation of the rules of the knights of labor the miners have made common cause with them and nearly all the mines in the schuylkill region are now closed the amers however have a grievance of their own arad one that seems in many respects a just one they claim that the mining company has attempted to effect an arbitrary and uncalled for reduction of wages with the beginning of the new year it seems that an agreement was made with the miners last september under which their wages were advanced eight per cent this agreement expired by its ferms on january 1 at that date the company acting without consultation sul tation with the men attempted to restore the old scale of wages the miners claim that this reduction is unnecessary since the price of coal and alie other conditions of the case remain the same as when the advance was made they claim ako that one before the expiration pi ration of the september agreement they addressed a letter to the managers of the mines asking for a conference on the question of the continuance of the old scale of wages ko reply was made to this and the company has since refused to hold any conference on the subject or to submit the troubles to arbitration this is the miners side of the story the main argument put forward by the company in defense of its action is that ii was found it could not afford to continue work at the advanced rate of wages and that the advance was really greater than had been calculated upon according to the report of president corbin of the reading railroad the cost including royalties of mining a ton of coal last year was tho cost of transportation to philadelphia way 02 cents at philadelphia it was sold at to yielding a net profit of from to per ton A uniform profit of 2 would have been excellent i the whole reading difficulty was a most unfortunate one coming as it did almost in the heart of winter involving thousands of families in want and suffering both parties to tho difficulty are doubtless to blame the miners for re sorting to the strike without having tried other meana of settlement and the companies for refusing to submit to arbitration the following from an article bearing on the question reads a lesson to both sides which they will do well to heed it bays it Is not in reason that the of millions should be disturbed and paralyzed be causa railroad and coal corporation on one side and labor lead firs on the other alt lo 10 get into quarrels and and then undertake to fight them out as 11 there was no one else in the world possessing any righta ciuch were not created by the state to run to s break down fair wadea to labor or to form pools to put up prices oa tha public and labor which are property constituted 10 protect the work ingmans wages and legitimate biehls are not constituted to the proprietor or employer from the direction and control or bis own property and business these principles and no one can successfully attempt to them the two parties to the miners controversy in the anthracite coal region raould get together for conference without another day of delay in recognition of the ol 01 the great body of tho public this is sound and sensible advice not only for the corporation and the labor era in the coal regions bul for all corporations po rations and workingmen who are tempted to unload their burdens and difficulties upon the people |