Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-02-06
A WELSH STRIKE.
Sixty Thousand Men Out OF Employ
Nnent.

A late London paper gives the fol-
lowing particulars of the great mining
strike: Sixty thousand men are out
on a strike in the coal and iron districts
of South Wales. The disagreement
between masters and men began, as all
such disagreements do on the question
of wages. Everybody knows how dear
coal and iron has been during the past
six months. The colliers, miners and
ironworkers, last summer, felt they
were entitled to IN increased rate Of
wages corresponding with the rise in
the price of coal and iron. They de.
maf1ded higher pay, and met witt: re-
fusal. Their only resource was strike,
and they remained in idleness for two
or three months. At length com.
promise was arrived at by arbitration,
and the men resumed work. Two months
ago they asked for an increase of ten
per cent. on their wages. This de-,
mand was successfully resisted by their
masters, for no sooner had they an.
nounced lockout than the men, con-
vinced of their error, withdrew their
demands and went back to work. Since
then, however, the price of Welsh coal,
as we'll as the price of iron, has fallen
considerably. 1t is now the masters
turn to propose change in the scale
of payment for labor. As the men had
insisted upon higher wages when the
trade was prosperous, the employers
now insist upon lower wages when the
trade is depressed. On the 1st of De-
cember the great iron masters and COL
iery proprietors of South Wales issued
an order to the effect that the existing
agreement between them and the men
in their employ must terminate on the
LIST of January, and on and after that
day reduction of ten per cent. would
take place in the rate at which labor
was then paid for in the iron and coal
districts of South Wales.
Against this reduction the men COM
bined to protest. On New Years day
an important conference between the
masters! and men took place at Cardiff,
and was attended by the principal iron
masters and coal owners of South
Wales, together with thirty delegates
who presented the vast host of colliers
and miners imployed in the district.
At this meeting the masters explained
their reasons for proposing a reduction
of wages, and it was throughout evi.
dent that they had no intention of
Withdrawing the notice issued at the
beginning of that month. They were
willing and ready to satisfy any ekep-
tical workman as to the truth Of their
statement of the present state of trade.
They offered to allow their books to be
examined, in order to convince the men
that there was substantial ground for
the proposed reduction. They stated
their case clearly, and the delegates to
the best of their ability stated the views
OF the colliers and miners who had sent
them to advocate their claims. The
delegates were not empowered to agree
to any proposal without consulting
their constituents, and nothing was
suggested by the masters as q means of
settling the dispute.
On Thursday great meeting of COL
iers, miners and iron-workers was held
at Hcrthyr, and was attended by an
accredited representative of the mas
ters. The speakers were earnest ard
determined, and. with one or two ex-
ceptions, they expressed their views
with commendable moderation. To
the industrial population of the
district the meeting was one
of grave Importance. A resolution
protesting against the reduction of
wages and determining upon q refusal
to work at lower rate of payment was
submitted to the assembled multitude.
Its consideration was postponed for q
few hours, but it was ultimately accept.
ed by conference of delegates. The
result was strike, by which GO, 900
men are deprived of employment. II
is one consolation to know that no dis
turbance of the peace is apprehended.
If such an event had occurred in Ire.
land we should probably have heard of
alarming riots before now.