The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-06
CITY INTELLIG ENC Il.
THE COAL TRADE.

The Probable Resupnption In the Scranton
Reglea-The Laborers to the Resoue-
How the other Regions Will be Affected
The Proposed Resignatien of the Lead
ers-The Complete Tonnage for the
Week.
The prospects are decidedly brighter at the pre-
sent writing for resumption Of mining operations
in the upper coal region but SO far as our own re-
zion OF Schuylkill concerned, there is less hope
OF a settlement Of difficulties unless the men take 1t
into their heads TO act for themselves for their own
advantage, independent Of anything which the lead
ers may say or do. The latest advlces from Scrau-
ton state that the in various district meetings
have passed resolutions complying with the request
of the companies that work shall be resumed at the
terms offered and that the question OF wages be
decided by arbitration afterwards II these terms
are still favorable to the companies, as tneir agents
have assured the men they are work Will there be
resumed at very early day, possibly during the
coming week. ~
accept Of this offer, but circumstances which have
since occurred have hastened their action In man
ner most marvellous. They have heretofore been
holding meetings and Offering terms to the compa-
MES each time little mere reasonable than the last
but each proposition being more than the companies
had set as their utimatum, and which they had re-
peatedly said they would not alter. The men coRs-
dered 1t derogatory to their dignity to accept the
exact terms offered, but evidently intended to come
down to figure very near is, but still somewhat
higher so that 1t could not be said that they ac-
stood ont for Sc cents, or II the miners agreed to
go to work without terms the companies would
then agree to submit the question Of wages to
$40 in their receding SCALE when class hitherto
but little noticed in connection with the questions at
ssue stepped in to expedite matters The inside
laborers made an offer to the companies to work
he mines, they being tired Of enforced tdleness,
npiooEes9fof interference. The miners were dis
concerted and nrst made an offer to the companies
to submit to general arbitration Ihis was promptly
declined. II the miners wanted this they should
have said so long ago, when the companies were
also in favor Of it, They could not certainly expect
that the employers would be willing to accept OF
that method Of settlement whenever the miners
1T 10 want it because they could do no better,
especially as 1t had been already rejected by those
who now ofTered It, The companies are not usually
in the habit OF following the miners lead in this
manner and the miners might have known as much
had they chosen to consider
The offer OF general arbitration preparatory to
resumption being rejected, an unhappy dilemma
swallow the distasteful pill of pride and agree to
what the companies offered against which they have
been standing out all along, though gradually COM
ing down to 1t, or, as an alternative, give up their
positions miners and let others take their places.
This latter had never once been thought Of because
the men thought they were sufficiently strong to
prevent such thing They did not ca culate on
dissenson in their very midst. After considerable
preliminary hemming and having the former conrse,
though unpopular, appears to have been taken, and
now there is prospect OF work.
After the first humiliation is over, the men will
not find the remedy so bitter aS anticipated. The
companies will certainly hold to their former Offer
without fixed wages in which case better rate
will be paid than the sc cents, and this the men
might have had dong ago If they had only agreed
probably be fixed at "a cents per diamond car,
which will be equivalent to the rates of the other
The news of these important proceedings in the
upper regions has caused the peculiar difficulties of
the Schuylkill region and the basis question to be
overlooked for time. AS the issue now stands it
behooves the Schuykill men to take some immediate
action, unless they wish to feel the eIfects very
able to impose upon the men much longer and COM
pei them TO remain IN idleness, though this is very
doubtful, the working regions will soon take all the
work out of their hands. Even If the mines Of the
great companies in the upper region should not
resume the Wilsesbarre mines and those now WORK
ing independently all around, are able OF
themselves to seriously lessen the demand which
leg1timately should be most felt in Schuylk.
But q general resumption in the upper region
would undoubtedly compel speedy resumption in
the other regions as the men would have TO resume
in self-defense. There would be nothing to gain
and everything to lose by a continued suspension
The men would resume with much better grace,
and also obtain better terms, II they were to do II
now, before the arrangements are completed al
Scranton.
enacted capital farce during the week in the mat
ter Of the proposed resignation OF two OF the leaders
On account OF the great outcry OF the public agans
them their resignatiops1were written aRd offered al
q public meeting where everything was cut anC
dried to suit Their purposes ana reected oy tne aee
Important business is ever transacted at public
meeting Of that body. Anything that really affects
the questions at issue is done in secret.
This offering Of the designations and their rejec
ton by the miners representatives is supposed 7
have auieted any oUtcry which may have been mad
that the leaders do not represent the wishes OF tn
liners. But the designations woud not have bee
offered had it not been pretty certain what would
done with them. AT least one OF the leaders, wh
draws a geod salary from his position, would nc
have staked that position had there been danger
his losing it. The reason why there was ne DANCE
of his lesing it is very evident. The leader
take good care that majority OF the General Cour
Gil are favorable to their SIDE 1t is very easy fC
such consummate wire-pulers to: so manipulat
ignorant miners in the election Of their represents
tyes II the designations had been offered to gene
raj meeting Of the miners, the case weulc have bee
different. That experiment will certainly never b
tried if it can possibly be avoided.
The following s the complete summary Of tn
trade for the past week, reported for the Potts
vile Miners Journal OF to-day