The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-07-06
MINERS. sTR..<E
me step Taken After Conference of
mine omcials-The Ordor Issued for

/
aOuarter of q Million Men to Quit Work.
COLUMBUS, O., July IA general
strike of the United Mine Workers of
america has been ordered for July 4
oy the national executive board, whose
headquarters are in this city, and also
oy the district presidents, as the result
OF meeting held here June "a. 25 and
26
10 the Mine Workers of the Country.
Greeting:
Fellow Miners: At the last annual
convention of the United Mine Work.
ers OF America, held in the CITY of Co.
lum bus, o., January 1916, 1897 it was
determined that the scale of prices
should be advanced to the following
rates:
pennsylvania (Pittsburg district.
pick mining, SO cents per ton; Ohio. 60
cents per ton; Indiana (bituminous). 60
cents per ton; Illinois Grape Creek)
90 cents per ton. Machine MINING to
be paid three 6fths per ton of the
price Tor pick mining, except in Indi-
ana (oltuminous) where the price shall
be four-tifths per ton of the price paid
for pick mining; other mining sections
corresponding increase in price that
Will place them on a relative basis.
1t was further agreed that the time
Tor enforcement of the scale be left
with the national executive board and
the district presidents to determine
when 1t would be most opportune to
put this scale into effect.
The document then urges unanimity
and fidelity among the members. 1.-THE
signs OF the times" the paper says, ''as
pointed out by the press and bv testi-
mony of men versed in public affairs
are, that business is reviving, that an
upward tendency in prices of all COM
modltles is apparent. In the general
business revival and industrial I'M
proven ent which is earnestly pro-
claimed, we ought to share, and if we
do not attempt to share we shall be
false to ourselves and those dependent
upon u.s..
Let the watchword be-" says the
circular, mine workers are entitled
to fair days pay for fair day S
work" Local committees are direct
ed to be formed, and to see that action
Is taken at once. The field is large
and it will be an impossibility for the
national and district officers to attend
to all points, consequently local lead
ers are urged to assume the response
bility and authority for the successful
contamination of our desires.
% insure success great care should
be exercised by all that no breach of
the peace occurs at any time or place
or under any circumstances Bulletins
will be issued from time to time to
keep you informed of the progress of
affairs
The national executive board is com.
posed of Fred Dilcher, R. l.. Davis, j..
II. Kennedy, Harry Stephenson, James
NJ, Carson and Patrick Dolan.
The district presidents are w. E..
Farms, w. G. Knight, James w. Car
son and Patrick Dolan.
NJ. d. Ratchford is president of the
national executive board, John Kane
vice president and w. c. Pearce secre-
tary. All these names are signed to
the circular
The officers here say 375, 600 men are
involved as proposed strikers So far
as anything can be learned here from
officials the call for the Pittsburgh
meeting of miners on Saturday is to
decide how the strike is to be conduct
ed in that district They have to con-
slider plans to take care of the women
and children during the strike. Presi-
dent Ratchford says this is the best
time to settle the question of wages,
as during the summer the men can
make use of their little garden plots
in obtaining subsistence. The needs
of clothing are not SO great as in win
ter.
The proposed scale is intended by
the miners to make work for miners
profitable to them in the Pittsburgh
district and elsewhere. Pittsburgh,
as claimed, is paying "a cents per ton
and Ohio 81 To make the differential
what the Ohio operators claim it ought
to be they threaten to reduce Ohio
miners to 45 cents per ton, or nine
cents below Pittsburgh. The miners
propose, if possible, to raise Pittsburgh
prices so as to prevent reduction in
Ohio to IS cents, and the possibility of
even farther reduction here in case
Pittsburgh should keep on lowering as
Ohio lowered to maintain the differen-
tial Of nine cents