The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-08-24
Current Events.

price when the winter season should SET In
This the operators refused 70 concede, anc
In consequence not only was no conclusion
of the strike arrived at. but the prOspec
of A settlement has been for the most OF
the week less bright than at any time since
the trouble began In May last, the Streatol
operators positively refusing under any cir
cumstances TO go above 1914 during any
part OF the season, protesting that that price
was 2lkc higher than they could really
afford. On Wednesday, however, w. l..
Scott, Of the Spring Valley Co., who has
been more vigorously abused by the repub'
lican press of the country than any operator
In the dis.rict-probably because he Is the
only democrat among the lot-made his
men an offer of Toe to hold good until May
/, 1890. This Is 21ac more per ton than
any Of the other operators were at any time
willing to pay and SC more than they now
offer. The only Objectionable feature OF
the offer Is, however, the notice that In
making this offer 1t Is 10 the men as indi.
viduals and that the company will not treat
with any committee or miners organization.
A telegram from Spring Valley says that
men working full time at these rates can at
the Valley mines earn as high as 800 a
month. This may be doubted neverthe
less II is reasonably certain that II only the
number Of men are given work that the
mine requires they can earn fair wages,
especially at Spring Valley, where the coal
Is more easily mined than at Streator, while
the rooms are dry and the men are not ex-
posed 70 the wet of the mines at Strestor.
The notice of the offer of 7Jc Is accompan
led by notice that those who do not accept
IL will be expected 10 vacate the company's
houses A great many Of those who were
able 70 get away have gone West TO the
mines there. II is thought the action of
the men will depend much on what was
done at the mass meeting called for last
evening at Sueator, but practically they
have refused the offer. There the operators
now offer but zoe; and the Coal Run Co. 8
men, who had agreed to abide by the
decision Of the arbltrators have nearly all
gone out again. At the Lukins u Cavan'
augh shaft where 100 men had been getting
SOC, the price demanded, all but dozen
quit work when ordered TO do so by the
organization this week because the trouble
with the large shafts had not been settled
Col Plumb is quoted as saying, when he
heard of the Withdrawal Of his men from
the Coal Run shaft this week. that all of
his efforts for a settlement have been made
and that he will either import Southern
men or let the Run fill with water. The
entire situation is as nearly desperate as II
we'll can be.
The offer of the Spring Valley Co., how
ever much one may protest at the reduc-
ton II involves, Is still liberal one under
the circumstances. II is 21lc more than
the arbitra'ors awarded the Coal Run
miners and sc more than the Streator oper.
ators offer. 1t can hardly be hoped that
the miners can succeed In getting their
demand, SOC. The supply of miners is
greater than the demand, and nothing but
riot ty the men can keep the new men out,
and they know how long the law Of the
land would permit that. With the tide of
immigration unchecked, the operators have
the men under their thumbs. There Is no
help for them, In all probability, and II Is
75c at Spring Valley and zoe at Strea:or or
nothing. Besid es these things, the viola
ton by the Coal Run men of their agreement
TO abide by the arbitrators' decision has
greatly embittered the operators. And the
withdrawal from the Coal Run mine was
not polite act by any means. Strength
cannot be gained by breaking solemn
promises and agreements. And this with
drawal caused the offer of 7215c TO all the
menmade by the operators In accordance
with the arbitrators' decision, has been
reconsidered and that of only Zoe, the
operators original limit, has been substl-
tuted. The men should have bided their
time until a more favorable opportunity
obtained. As 1t is, they have lost enc a
ron AVIAN for tha winter
An important meeting of the Western
Window Glass Manufacturers Association
was held In Cleveland on Tuesday last Be
tween the demands OF the men as to wages
In pot furnaces and the concessions allowed
10 owners of tank furnaces, such as that at
Jeanette, Pa, has placed the manufactur-
ers between two fires, 80 to speak. Though
the meeting was with closed doors, II IL
said that the manufacturers, being com.
PEELED TO stand fight with their men and
at the same time compete with tank furnace
glass; may decide to form glass combina
ton the purpose of erecting number of
big tank furnaces, the cost to be equally
divided. 1t Is generally granted that glass
can be made cheaper by the tank furnaces
than by the old method, and to compete
the other manufacturers claim they must
either have lower scale of wages or adopt
the same mode OF production.
BY a ruling OF Asst Sec'y Bussey on a
pension claim on Monday last, "dishonor-
able discharge Is no longer bar to a
pension.
The President returned on Saturday
from Bar Harbor. taking up his residence
at Deer Park, Md, until Tuesday, when
he left for indianapolis, where on Thurs.
day he unveiled soldiers monument.
The President has refused to order the
employees of the Census Bureau to be in
cluded In the classes Of employees under
the civil service rules, Notwithstanding the
recommendation to that effect of the civil
service commission.
The treasury has made a ruling on the
duty In lead ores which will close up the
Texas smelters, and will cause the erection
Of two new ones In the state of Nueva
Leon In Mexico. The people ef Ell Paso,
Texas, on Thursday adopted resolutions
protesting against the new ruling. The
ruling reversed ls that of John Shermans
administration of the treasury.
The Mississippi jury was severe on hon.
i'll Sullivan, who was on Friday last found
guilty Of prize fighting, the jury fixing the
EatNwx Nutls <asRe~