The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-21

COLUMBUS. o, Aug. sa-The national
executive board OF The mine workers adj
1o0rnsn today. after having issued the call
Tor meeting ot organized labor 10 Re
heid IL s.. Louis August %. The board
rejected the proposition Of the Pittsours
operators for q conference 70 arbitr2te The
wage dispute IN that district. claiming
that such action would be prejudscial 10
the interests OF the miners at large. The
board IS ready TO consider overrures for
the arbitration OF the issues % the great
strike when these overtures come from al
the operators in the competitive districts.
which include Ohio. Indiana. Illinois.
West Virginia ard Pennsylvania. The
board decided not 10 deviate from the es-
tRbllshsd policy until the result OF the
ST Louis conference is known.
The aggressive work in the field VIII Re
continued. and the efforts TO spread the
strike IN the West Virginia district VIII
be renewed. The success or failure OF
the strike hangs on the result Of the con-
ference, the call for which has been in
dorsed by Samuel Gompers. president OF
the American Federation OF La0or. and
]. r. Sovereign, general master workman
OF the Knights OF Labor. They maintain
that the fight now being waged by the
miners IS one OF common interest 70 COM
mon labor throughout the country. At the
ST. Louis conference all labor organiZa-
tons viii be asked 10 join issues with the
miners.
4 General Coal Boycott.
The failure to secure general suspen-
sion in West Virginia has greatly inter-
fered with the prospects Of success, as
the coal supplied from that and the few
isolated districts is meeting the limited
demand The only hope of cutting or
this supply appears 10 lie in the refusal
Of organized labor in the ordinary chan
nels Of traffic an business men
to handle or use this coal II the
object OF the St Louis conference is ac-
complished. the strike will be extended
to nearly every branch Of labor in the
country.
strikers sseai March.
PITTSBURG, Pa, Aug 20-This morn
ing the striking miners encamped at
Turtle Greek stole march on the depu-
ties guarding the Oak Hill mine. While
the deputies were waiting for a detach-
ment of the campers TO appear on the
road 10 the mines the strikers were max
ing a long detour so as 10 approach the
mines from the other side, and they sue
ceeded IN getting there without being Oh
served. When the deputies. commanded
by Deputy Sheriff David Hanna. appear
ed. a copy Of the injunction was read to
John Large. the leader. and they left the
place. The strikers followed out the
programme outlined by Capt Bellingham,
and sent men singly and in pairs TO patrol
the roads. The deputies did not inter-
fere with them.
Operators Attack Ratchford.
PITTSBCRG. Aug. 20.-The coal oper-
ators, at their meeting tonight. after wait
ing In vain for an answer from President
Ratchford TO their telegram asking for a
conference here 10 arbitrate the strike
question issued a statement TO the public
shortly after midnight. The operators
state that If the miners leaders will agree
TO confer. and that II no basis can then be
agreed upon. they viii submit the dispute
TO arbitration.
The operators charge Ratchford with
trying TO delay settlement, that he may
bring all the labor organizations of the
country to his aid and then brighten poll
ticians into insisting upon settlement OF
the strike without regard 10 its merits.
The operators can upon Ratchford 10 ar
range at once for a conference for settle
ment or arbitration.