The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-08-06
THE LONG STRIKE ENDED.

labor strikeo that ever occurred in the
country, in a victory for the men. We
have reference to the seven months
suspension in the anthracite coal fields
Of Pennsylvania, some particulars of
which we gave recently. But a few
weeks since,i; yas considered by many
impossible to adjust the difficulty, at
least this season, but those who had
been infinitely watching the progress
of the struggle, perceived what to
them at least were patent indications
of disposition on the part of the ope-
rators, either to surrender entirely, or
make liberal concessions from what
they had issued as their ultimatum. The
men, owing to the privations those in
the strike have undergone, and to the
fact that enc part of the region had
proven traitrous, and refused to pay
the tax levied for the support of the
strike, were all along disposed to COM
promise, but not to accede to the
terms proposed by the operators, which
were justly and aptly termed the "Chi-
naman's basis" Numerous efforts,
looking to a negotiation, were made by
the men, but none was entered into.
On the 22d, the Executive Board of
the Workingmen's Benevolent Asso-
citation convened at Pottsville, and
with Mr.. Franklin B. Cover, Presi-
dent of the Reading Railroad, an, at
tendant at, and endorser of its proceed
ings, formed scale of prices and Sc
ries of regulation at which they were
willing to compromise. 1t is virtually
theS69 basis and terms, with Giffer-
ence in the sliding scale, which is now
SO 1-3 per cent,-above and below 90,
the basis price. This plan was COM
municated to the operators by Mr..
Gowen, who for the interest Of his
road, had consented to become arbiter,
and by them at a meeting held the
Monday following, rejected in toto, and
by an almost unanimous vote. This
action made it plain who desired the
strike to continue, and that it was in
tended to fight the organization, with
the object Of extinguishing it, rather
than the men for a reduction in their
wages. By false representations the
operators had been induced to believe
that the Union was already well nigh
extinct, but they had mistaken the
nerve of their foemen, which had
proved itself more than worthy of their
steel. And on Friday, the goth ult.,
committee of five from. the Working
mems Benevolent Association, and five
from the Board Of Trade, met and de-
cided to resume work on the Gowen
compromise, and under the following
agreement
AGREEMENT, made at Pottsville, the 29th of
July, 1870, between the committee OF the An.
thraclte Board Of Trade, and the committee
of the WOrkingmen's Benevolent A.socia
ton.
1t is agreed that the w B. A. shall rot sus-
tain any man who is discharged for incompetent
cy, bad workmanship, or bad conduct or other
| good cause, and that the Operators shall not
| discharge any man or officer for actions imposed
upon him by the W. r. A.
| 1t is further agreed that the spirit and iBtcn-
ton of the resolutions (culled the equalization
resoutioD) passed BY the w. B A, that each
man shall work regularly and it is the place of
the bosses and operators TO see that he does. The
resolution is that any miner earning above ex-
penses, over one hundred dollars and less than
one hundred and twenty-five dollars per month,
shall be reduced ten per cent on the basis.
Earning over $l25 and under $3.50 shall be re-
duced twenty per cent. on the basis. Earning
over $50 and under 5000 to be reduced thirty
per cent on the basis, and earning over 5000 to
be reduced forty per cent. on the basis.
To obtain the price of coal monthly the
President Of the Anthracite Board Of Trade and
the President of the w. b. A. Of Schuylkill
County, shall meet on the goth day of each
month and select five operators, who shall On
the 25th inst, following, produce statement
sworn or affirmed to. ofthe price Of coal at Port
Carbon, for all the sizes above pea coal
The five operators shall be selected from a
list Of those shipping over 10000 tons annually,
and none shall be selected a second time until
| the list is exhausted.
The prices of coal so obtained shall fix the
rates of wages for that month, and this agree
ment in regard to the mode of obtaining prices,
shall remain in force during the year 1870.
| WIN. KEEDRIcK, JOHN SINEY,
J. X. SIGFRIED, GEORGE CoRBETT.
NJ. X. FOWLER GEORGE ATHEY,
SAML. GRIsooM, JAMES BARRY,
BAIRD SNYDER JOHN WEGBTMAN
1t is said that only those who have
been on the field to learn the destitute
condition of the strikers and their fam
lilies, and the general prostration of bu-
siness in that section IN consequence,
for almost every body there is depend
ent upon the coal product, can imagine
how great was the joy manifested at
the publication Of the good tidings.
The telegraph transmitted them in a
twinkling all over the coal fields, and
during the greater part Of the night
the wires were kept busy sending or
ders from operators to their collIeries
to prepare for immediate resumption"
During those seven months the miners
incurred hardships innumerable, and
unappreciated by the cold uncharitable
public. BY an undertaking devotion
to the principle they sought to estab-
lish-iust remuneration for an honest
days labor, they have emerged victori
Gus from out struggle unparalleled
in the annals of labor strikes.
Official Evasion of the Law.
The State Department has officially