Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
WILL AVOID A STRIKE.
President Mcbride, of the Miners As
sociation Advises Them to
ACCEPT TIE OPERATORS TERMS.
The CokerS Meet and Also Decide to Prevent
Strike, if Possible.
NO FOREIGN GLASS WORKERS ARRIVED

President John Mcbride, of the Miners
National Progressive Union, arrived in the
city last night and will attend the conven-
tion of miners tomorrow. He has plan
which, if accepted, will prevent one OF the
greatest strikes of coal miners that has
ever occurred in this country. Mr..
Mcbride admits that the coal trade is not in
good shape, and advises and recommends to
the men the wage proposition offered by the
operators to the diggers of Western Pennsyl
vania and Ohio. This will affect several
thousand men, and is one of the first cases in
the history of labor organizations when a
leader agreed to accept the operators terms
without fight.
The new scale of the miners is to 60 into
effect on May 1. Heretofore the scale was
"a cents for mining from May to Novem-
Der 1, and 70 cents from November to May
1. At meeting held in this city last week
it was decided to demand 76H cents per
ton for mining for the year. The operators
offered to pay 711z cents for mining for the
first six months in the year, beginning May
1. and 761z for the last six months. The
rate for Ohio is 9 cents per ton less than
Western Pennsylvania.
THINKS THEY SHOULD ACCEPT.
President Mcbride was seen by DIS
PATCH reporter last evening and said he
did not know whether his recommendation
would be accepted or not. He believes,
however, that the proposition is fair one,
and should be accepted by the men. His
opinion, of course, will have considerable
weight and the miners scale of wages for
the year can be announced as follows: M
cents for Western'P Pennsylvania from May
1 to November 1; in Ohio 621z cents; from
November to May 1, Western Pennsylva-
MIA, 7615 and Ohio 6711I cents.
In speaking of the matter Mr.. Mcbride
said: 81 believe the men will accept the
terms offered, but 1 do not want to be
quoted as giving an opinion on the subject.
think it best for them to accept. but they
are not compelled to accept my recommen-
dation, and may refuse The rates proposed
by both sides are so close that l do not
think the matter is worth quibbling over.
The National Progressive Union is in good
shape, both financially and numerically.
We meet N. T. A. 135 so seldom that it
is unnecessary for me to go into
details about their standing. The Knights
of Labor miners do not disturb my dreams
at all. The 135, K. of L., officials declare
themselves against any reduction without
assigning any reason therefor.
THE DIRECT QUESTION.
eat the same time they assure the miners
that, had they been permitted to partici-
pate in the joint Convention on Agree
ment, price would have been
reached. 1nasmuch as the operators re-
fused all propositions made by the miners,
and all propositions made by the operators
carried with them a reduction in price, the
question naturally arises would the 1876
officials or representatives have voted to ac-
cept the reduction proposed by the oper-
ators? If not, and the operators refused all
propositions made by the miners, in what
manner would they have reached an agree
ment?
"Would they have voted to adjourn the
convention and for the dissolution of the
joint movement? If not, why not? BY
answering these questions the officials OF
n. T. A. 135, K. of L., might enable the
miners to understand clearly their posi-
tion."
Mr.. Mcbride did not care to talk about
the condition of the rival organization, but
said that, if the N. P. U. proposition was
accepted, the K. Of L. miners would be
compelled to fall into line.