The record-union., 1897-09-22
Seventy-FiVe Thousand Men Returned to
Work Yesterday.
The Fight May be Continued in
West Virginia and Illinois
President RatchfOrd of the
Mine Workers Satisfied With
the Agreement Reached.

Mine Workers of America, who is here
to attend a special meeting of the offi-
GERS of the Federation of Labor, gave
the following statement to the Associ-
ated Press to-day:
To-day will see about 10000 miners
resume work in the bituminous coal
fields of the Central States. The strike
generally ends to-day. This is the mid
die of the twelfth week of its duration.
1t was brought to close at our con-
venion held at Columbus, O., on the
Sth to the 18th of the present month,
ten days time being given to allow
miners and operators to come together
in Illinois and West Virginia to meet
the prices fxed-65 cents a ton in
Pittsburg, 56 cents in Ohio and Indiana.
the same to continue till the end of De-
cember. The mining situation is not
likely to become disturbed again until
the beginning of next year, at which
time we hope to be able to settle wage
differences amicably and without the
necessity of a strike.
1T is we'll understood that the fight
will continue from the present time in
all fields and against all operators who
refuse to meet the rates. The greatest
trouble will be found in West Virginia
and a portion of Illinois. 1 am still
hopeful, however, that the producers
in those fields will conform to the
change and put their mines in opera
ton. Failing to do this, we will fight
them as we have done until the begin
ming of next year, at which time it is
said their present contracts will expire.
II am we'll satisfied with the agree
ment reached, and feel that it is the
greatest victory gained by trades un
ions for years. OF course, the victory
is not altogether one of the miners.
While they have done the striking,
trades unions and organized bodies
have supplied the necessaries, without
which the miners could not possibly
succeed. 1t is a victory for organized
labor, and not for any particular trade,
and we want our friends who have
helped US to feel that it is their victory
as we'll as ours. I feel very grateful
for the assistance given us by the
American Federation of Labor and the
kindly disposition shown us at all times
by Mr.. Gompers and the members of
his Executive Committee
Mr. Ratchford was asked as to the
situation in West Virginia and Illinois.
He said: My advices from West Vir-
ginia are to the effect that our miners
are standing firm, are we'll pleased with
the agreement reached and evince de-
termina ton to fight their battle to the
end. Our purpose is to bring the miners
and operators of that State together in
a joint convention, that a uniform min
ing price may be fixed and paid for the
same vein of coal, and a relative price
for other veins within the State; in
short, fix a mining rate that will give to
West Virginia fair competing opportu
mites and nothing more.
"a convention of the Illinois miners
is being held now. 1 have not had any
advices from there, but can safely pre-
dict what their action will be. They
will continue the struggle until relative
prices are established. The greatest diff
ficulty in the way of the advance in the
Illinois district is the fact that the con-
tracts were taken last spring, based up
on a low mining rate, as they We're in
and elsewhere. But this is a
matter we cannot be responsible for.
No man has right to sell another
mans labor one year in advance with
out consulting the laborer While we
have always deferred to the claims of
men along these lines, the time has
come when no further consideration
can be given them because the wages
paid to the miner are below the living
point and the preservation of life takes
over bushes affairs.
'"The fixing of a mining rate that will
give fair competing opportunities is the
object of the miners organization ev-
erywhere. We have been working to
bring the operators of the several
States together with this end in view.
our efforts have been futile,
we will continue to advocate that pol
icy, believing there is but one sure way
Of keeping down strikes and disputes,
which are of no advantage to either
side, and that is for the miners and op-
orators interested from the various
States to meet annually and mutually
fix prices for each district that are just
to each party to the agreement, and OBJ
serve it faithfully until subsequent
a agreement takes its place. During the
eight years this system was in vogue
strikes and disturbances of a general
character were unknown, and the
causes which gave rise to them can
again be removed as soon as the oper-
ators interested will see their interests
in this light
AND DEPUTIES AR
RAIGNED.
WILkESBARRE Pa.): Seput. 21-
Sheriff James Martin and about forty
of his deputies We're arraigned in court
this morning, charged with the mur-
der of twentyfour striking miners at
Latimer, September 10th. After sew
eral witnesses had testified, the Judge
held the Sheriff and his deputies in 81
coo each for trial. Bail was furnished
and they returned to Hazelton.
DEBS CHOKED OFF
WHEELING CIV. Va-), Sept. 2.-The
feature of interest in the opening ses-
sion os the September term of the
United States Court for the District of
West Virginia was the application of
ex- Governor A. B. Fleming of Fair
mount to make the injunction against