The Topeka state journal., 1897-07-12
FRESH FROM SEAT OF WAR.
millionaire Rend Returns From Pitts-
burg and Gives His Views

Chicago July 12.-Col William P.
Rend, the millionaire Chicago coal op-
orator, has returned from Pittsburg,
where during the past week he has been
in conference with other coal mine op-
orators and with the officials of the
miners organization relative 10 a set
tlement of the strike. Mr.. Rend says
there is no telling right now where or
when the strike will end. 1t will be
fought out, he says, in the Pittsburg
district. Whether or not it will spread
to other fields of labor he cannot say,
for a strike, like a confiagration, some
times spreads to everything within
reach, but he hopes for an early and
peaceful settlement by arbitration.
OF the coal famine Mr.. Rend has no
immediate fear. He says that in an
ticipation of the present strike many
operators had stored up large Quanti-
ties of coal, and these operators, from
selfish motives, are not in a particular
hurry to have the strike settled. They
hope to reap a rich profit by the ad-
vance in the price of COAL But Mr..
Rend says these operators do not con-
stitute a majority. The price of coal
he thinks that in another week the
price will have doubled.
One thing that makes the present
strike formidable in Mr.. Rend's opinion
is the fact that workers in number of
mines who did not join in the strike of
1894 have within the past week Joined
the strikers. Had the miners in 20 or
so mines who at the start did not join
the strike, have continued to work, the
strike, he said, would have failed very
quickly.
Mr.. Rend discussed the strike situa-
tion at length, and continuing said:
THE strike has grown in size from
day to day until now it has assumed
vest proportions. 1t is probable that
within the next ten days 1T will have
reached the full maturity and it's great
est strength. Unless speedily settled it
threatens to be one of the most formi-
dable conflicts between capital and la
Dor in the entire industrial history of
the country. The mining regions of
seven coal-producing states are now
Fully 125, 900 men have Withdrawn their
labor from the production of coal, and
there is a prospect that next week will
witness a still further increase in the
size of this already large army of
striking workmen. 1t is clear that this
movement is mainly spontaneous one
and that there are serious causes for
calling for redress that have resulted
in this general uprising.
THE success or failure of the strike
depends very largely upon the success
during the coming week of the plans
OF the miners officials. They will strain
every effort to close down the mines of
the New York & Cleveland Gas COM
pany in the Pittsburg region and at
the same time organize and bring out
the coal diggers in West Virginia If
the latter continue to work coal will be
produced by them in sufficient uuantt-
ties to prolOng the strike until the min
ers now idle will have become weaken
ed and exhausted into final defeat. The
miners of West Virginia have had in
the past but little affiliation with the
miners in the northern states.
Resides the coal mined in West Vir-
g1n1a. there are also large amounts of
coal being still produced in the bitum-
inous sections of Pennsylvania outside
of the Pittsburg field. In the Broad
Top and Clearfield regions and in the
ReynoldsVille district the men are still
at work From these outlying sections
more or less coal is now being sent to
the western markets. While coal will
be scarce IN very many places, there
Will be no general demand-at least
none for while longer Besides the
sources of supply that I have named
coal can also be shipped from the great
Connellsville region, and also from the
extensive mining districts of Maryland
and from East Virginia There is a
considerable stock of coal at Cincin-
natl that can be bought by those willing
to pay the largely advanced prices at
which it is held. If soft coal gives ont
there is plenty of anthracite that cen be
used in emergency cases.
1T, is, however, more than probable
to my mind that the entire strike will
be settled sometime during the present
month. In a few days the excitement
On the part of those Immediately en-
gagged in this disturbance will have Civ
en- way to sober thought and intelligent
concern for some equitable wav of set
tlement. The prOlOngatiOn of the strike
Will not be to the interest of either min
er or his employer, beyond the time
when mutually fair terms can be agreed
upon.
Various plans of adjustment are pro-
posed. The suggestion has been made
that the governors of the states invoIv-
ed IN the strike shall be chosen as ar
bltrators, of the controversy. Another
method is advocated by which the ad-
Justment shall be placed in the hands
OF commission appointed by Presi-
dent Mckinley. 1t seems to me that
the best way of all is to have a CON
ference Of the representatives, of both
the operators and miners at Pittsbure
and then by just concessions on both
sldes agree upon terms of peace'