The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-29
STRIKES DON'T PAY
DEBS NOW TALKS ON THAT SIDE
OF TIE QUESTION.

lie Is Not Reported rs Informing His
Hearers What Will Pay. But Evidently
the Strike Is Too Tame For Him-Con.
tributtons to Aid the Striking Miners
Were Not Liberai-Says Employers
Bring on the Strikes-Northera Illinois
Operators Address the Miners-Chicago
Street Railway Men
Chicago, Sept. 27.-About 200 repre-
sentativas OF various labor organizations
were present in Orpheus hall in the
Schiller building today to attend the ma
tional labor conference called by the st.
Louis labor convention. Many Of the
members affiliated with the American
Federation Of Labor but those delegates
said they were not there in an official
capacity.
President E. V. Bebs OF the Social De-
mocracy was called to the platform and
explained the objects of the conference.
He appealed 10 the representa- lives OF
al LABOR organizations to work togeth-
er toward the amelioration Of the pres
ent condition Of the laboring classes
Strikes don't pay" said Mr.. Debs.
"All strikes are lost. They are useless.
They are caused by the employing
classes. When capitalists get ready for
strikes they provoke them, knowing well
their cause is won before the conflict is
begun. The various labor unions of this
country have all they can do to take
care Of their own men. Never was this
better eXemplified than in the recent
miners strike. Never in my experience
have I seen a strike which had the SYM
patty Of the public and even Of the part
Of the employing class, as that one did,
and yet when an appeal was made for
financial aid, less than cents per strik-
ing miner was received"
E. M. Bannister Of st. Louis was
elected chairman Of the convention and
w. r. Carcheck Of Pennsylvania, secre-
tary. The secretary read the formal call
for the convention and the delegates
handed in their credentials. There was
much bitter criticism Of the action OF
President Gonpers Of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor in advising members
not TO attend the meeting.
The afternoon session was taken up
with approving credentials and listening
TO addresses.
ILLINOIS OPERATORS.
Chicago, Sept 27.-Ths following ad-
dress was issued today by the coal op-
orators as the result Of a meeting here:
TO the Miners OF Northern Illinois:
The time has arrived when the miners
IF IA how
or not their conduct in regard TO wages
shall be governed by common sense and
business conditions.
AS was well understood at the time
by your representatives and probably
by all the miners, the scale Of wages
adopted and agreed upon last spring for
northern Illinois Was fixed at certain fig
ures for the express purpose Of enabling
the mine owners Of northern Illinois TO
compete with central and eastern ILL.,
rois and Indiana mines, and was based
upon the mine wages which were then
in effect in those districts. The scale Of
wages formulated at the recent meeting
at Springfield is not consistent with the
basis Of mining wages agreed to last
spring. Even if the present contracts
between the mine owners and miners Of
northern Illinois were to be wiped out
the coditions of last year. when you did
no, work half time, would be repeated.
The price demanded by the Springfield
meeting for mining in eastern Illinois is
only to cents per ton higher than the
prices which were being paid in that
district at the time Of our settlement,
and upon which our settlement was
based. The price now demanded in the
Springfield district is only to cents
above the price which was being paid
at that time. The rate now demanded
for Pana is not 10 exceed cents high
er. The districts above referred 10 can
produce enough coal to supply the en-
tire trade now enjoyed by northern Illi-
nois, or which we can hope to get, and
they are our most direct and closest
The wages demanded in northern
Illinois by the Springfield meeting are
an advance OF IA cents per ton over the
wages agreed TO last spring and en-
bodied in our contracts with you.
Not only were the present contracts
for the sale Of coal by the mine owners
agreed ID last spring and the coal sold
al cost on that basis, but il
these contracts were wiped out and W.
were left hand-free to go into the mar
ket FOR new business, we could not COM
pete in the market with the districst
above referred 10 on the scale of wages
now demanded.
Tho injustice and the Inconsistency
Of the proposed Springfield scale are so
gross that they have prompted us 10
write this letter 20 you that the actual
facts might be clearly brought 10 your
knowledge and undersood by you.
The strike or suspension is no longer
a national one, and IL the idleness IN |
5lis district is prolonged Il will be the
means Of again diver:ing business. as
always in the past, from this 70 other |
districts and leaving US all in as bad Dr.
worse condition than n previous years.
(Signaio a l. SWEET. Chairman. |
'E. T. BENT, Secretary"
STREET RAILWAY MEN.
Chicago. Sept 27-Mayo- Harrison |
said today in speaking OF the threatened |
: .rike % the employees o: the City Rail- /
company:
IF /; il true that these men were dis /
charged because they We're active in Or /
ganiZing a union for their protection, I /
believe that public sen;imsn; should 1
support The street car men in ne event /
u strike being declared. There Is a !
g-ea. deal Of talk OF the railroads COM
oining IN :heir own Interests. and I see
IN 6 an NKQ>