St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-11
CAN BREAK VANDERBILT.
The Strikers in the Hooking Valley
Confident of Ultimate Success,
And the Operators Hire Green Hands and
Claim the Strike is Fading.
Especial Telegram to the Globe. 7


PITTsBURG, Pa. Jan. 10.-John D. Prnge,
the welknown English political economist. now of
the staff of the Times, has made careful inves-
tlgation of the situation in the Hooking Valley.
He telegraphed from Jacksonville as follows:
The strike continues, and is likely to do so for
a long time to come as far as the miners are con-
cerned have spent several days among the
rank and file of the strikers this week, and after
careful observation ] think they are
more determined and enthusiastic than ever
1 am mindful of the reports now current that
large numbers of the strikers are resuming work,
and that almost the entire body are anxious to
again enter the mines under any conditions.
These reports are false. The strikers are now
more hopeful than ever. Help is hurrying to
them from all parts OF the country and 1t is hard
to distinguish whether the material help coming
or the earnest words of sympathy and eucou age
ment accompanying this help has the more effect
If contributions keep on coming in at the present
rate the strikers can live for months, and, to
use the expression of one of themselves, they
"can break Vanderbilt" IL they keep good
hearts.
do not wish to convey the impression that
this determination is all on one side. 1t is not
| have had long consultations with the presl-
dents Of the coal exchange, the coal and iron
syndicate and the railroad company. and they
like the miners, are evidently more determined
than ever. They tell me that IL the strike con-
tnues much longer there will be no real strike at
all, as all the mines will be amply stocked with
men. They aver that at present they can get
almost as much coal as they have orders for
and that the green hands whom
they have engaged from far Off places
arc fast becoming efficient workmen,
There is some truth in this. Yesterday l care
fully locke over the accounts OF the railroad
com pany and found that on Monday the output
OF the mines running in the striking district
was go cars. Mr.. Patterson, OF the coal ex-
change, claims that it was 325 cars. The former
number, however seems to be authentic It
shows great increase OF output within a very
short time and tends to show that the expecta-
tions OF operators are founded on something
more than Imagination. Besides this the con-
Hict has gone so far that employers are
prepared to 20 to the proverbial 'bottom dollar
rather than be defeated. They have much
money behind them, while the strikers are en-.
tirey dependent on the charity Of far-away SYM
pathizers.
II is only fair to credit each party with the i'm
preston that they are honest in the belief that
they are right. am convinced that this Is the
case. A more earnest and apparently sympa
thetic man than Mr.. Crafts, president OF the syn
dictate, have never met. He, with noteworthy
sincerity, contends that it is impossible for the
coal operators in the valley to pay anything like
20 cents per ton for mining. On the other hand,
the strikers and their friends point TO
the fact that Mr. Rend Is dong it and max
ing a profit. Poverty is in reasing with
all its attendant evils. The amount OF wretched-
ness, suffering and privation is still alarming,
and 1t Is impossible TO avoid the conviction that
this increased suffering is developing n very
powerful and desperate spirit OF rebellion. The
strikers claim that the operators have money
and that they using it in every way, either
honorably or dishonorably, TO gain their object.
They contend, therefore. that they must fight
their opponents in any available way In short,
they cherish the principle that all is fair in love
and war.