The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-06-19
STARVING MINERS TO REVOLT
Gaunt Misery in Pennsylvanla's
Hills, With No Prospects OF the
Promised Prosperity Higher
Tariff for the Wealthy Manufac-
turers and Lower Wages for the
Workers Threaten to Cause
Great Strike.

New YORK, June 1l.-Mr. Alfred Henry Lewis
who has been investigating for the Journal the con-
dition of the people in the mining regions OF Penn
sylvania teegraphs that paper today in part as FOL
lows:
There are to be some stirring black times in these
hills There are some in high, clean places Oh
comfort and pomp who are to have much 10 an
swer for There are to be riot and wrong in these
valleys.
This is not prophecy only repeat what some
of their most trusted leaders tell me. The 3o,OVO
miners of the West Pennsylvania region are TO
strike The step has been resolved on II only re-
mains for RatchfOrd and ''the councll'-to meet
in Columbus within week-to set the day. All
agree that with Ratchford or without Ratchtord a
strike will come. When? They say by the last of
this month
"But you people have nothing, l Salu you
will go into this strike and starvc"
I'VE starve as it is" the retort. with u
cents ton to mine coal, with ID per cent of that
taken off for powder, oil and sundries-with, i'll
short the best of making an average wage of not
more than SIS a week the year round-wc
sTARYR AS 1T Is
sTo strike makes it no worse. We will at least
earn revenge. We might as well go to hell at full
speed as to creep
This is miner sentiment, the sentiment and spirit
of men whose hopes are desolate, and whom want
and despair make mad. Take and mark my word
for it, a great mine strike is upon us-a labor storm
is to break that will make the summer of 1897
memorable
Yesterday Zoo men struck at the Rend mines.
They were getting 60 cents IL ton. "Rend cut to
u cents and the strike is on Last night these and
other miners held mass meeting in the hills they
permitted outsiders to attend. learn, too, that
the flint glass men intend strike this summer, SO
also the plate glass workers.
Late Yesterday afternoon Rend made an offer OF
settlement to his men, They will probably go tC
work again, temporarily postponing the inevitable
More important even than these, the Amalgamat
ed Association will order out the 10000 men of the
tin-plate industry, and mayhap follow with 40,OOt
more i'll kindred industries by way of sympathy
This coming tinpate revolt is the drectest fruit o.
Mckinley and his
PROMISED ''PEOSPERITY.
Hanna through Quay brought the malgamatcd
Association to aid McKinlcys cause in November
by IL promise of Il higher tariff on tin plate and &
consequent higher scale of wages to the men. The
manufacturers are getting their increase Of tariff
but they have already told the men that no raise
over last years wage will be made.
Today went to Banning 1t is the old story o
keen want. Here is story OF the Banning district
1t is all true. A. r. Hamilton, the gentleman who
told it to me- is well known, his word is above re
preach.
There were i'll the hovcl miner his wife and
little children said Hamilton. The little ones
were actually dying of huugcr-starving. They
were thin almost to transparency. | stopped and
gave them il dollar The man all but broke down
1t was the first money he had seen in three months
saw some meat of queer sort i'll the rear of the
room. What is that meat | asked. The mar
look disconnected and abashed. He said nothing
The woman, with baby ut her breast began tc
weep silently What was it? Dogs meat This i:
rs true as we live they eating
THE FLESH OF \ Dog"
Writing of the life of the miners the correspond
cnt has this to say:
There is an abject side of your miners life
There is Il chance for rank flvoritism i'll the mines
He must stand well with the company he mus
curry favor with the pit boss This latter hold
him at his mercy the company has him i'll the hol
low Of It's hand. He must present himself to be
blcd by trading al the company store. ThosC
who are not customers of that highpriced mart arr
soon dismissed. He should live in Il 'Comlan!
house at rental of % per cent of the value of tina
structure. Those who are not tenants of 'cOmpan!
houses do not last long. When the pit boss comes
to his cabin and orders him into the minc for The
very evident purpose of making love to his wifi
while he gone, your miner cannot hesitate. Hi
living is at stake At IL frown from the pit boss ht
perishcs His wife is as much captive to thei
hard fate as he Think of it all Such is the dahl,
destiny OF these poor, hai-fed helpless bond thrll
of coal"
y dispatch to the Philadelphia, Pa, Ledger from
Pittsburg, Pa, June 49, says:
The miners employed by the Ella Coal Compln!
and the Webster Coal Company, at Webster, on tho
Pttsburg. McKccSport and Youghiogheny Rail
road are Oh strike. The diggers had been receiv
ing 60 cents ton until two weeks ago, when the
rate was cut to 81 cents They accepted and work
ed at that rate until the convention of miners wher
they made demand for 20 cents. They were al
paid i'll full and discharged.
The miners of the Johnson Coal Company. a
Fayette City, out on strike against reduction
in wages. The company was paying 2l1@ cents fol
knocking down and loading coal, and cut the price
one-hnlf cent Oh the ton. The men refused to &c
cept the reduction and came out