The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-15
CRY OFFICIAL PAPER
SEATTLE. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 15-
Tur SETTLEMENT OF THE sTRIKg.


The chief obstacle In the settlement OF
the mlnars. strike was the difficulty In
making suca terms rs should be equally
Just TO ali the miners western Pennsyi-
vanla, Ohio Indiana and Hcst virginia
could be grouped pretty well under one
schedule. but for technical reasons Illinois
needed difference. The Illinois men had
no grievance al the outset. and emily joined
the strikers ous OF sympathy. bat when
the settlement was finally made the de-
manda of the sympathlzsrs had 20 be ig-
ncred Several days ago President Ratch-
ford. of the United Mine Workers CT
America, advised accepting the offer Of
the operators. and II his advice had been
accepted the terrible encounter at Lati-
mer would have been averted.
Mr. Ratchforf said then that he believed
the convention would ultimately decide
that the executive board did the very best
thing for the miners Ia accepting the
proposition Of the operators. contingent
upon the action Of the convention: and he
believed that the convention would so de-
eide when all he facts In the case were
known. The chief opposition came from
the president of the Illinois miners. who
considered that they were ignored and
did not come within the scope OF the pro-
visions Of the offer He wanted to know
where they were to be benefited before
placing their signatures 20 a document
which, 50 far as he could see. did not adj
vance their Cause IN the least. The chief
demand of the Illinois men was that
the wage scale for their district should
be- relatively as high as the highest at
one time the West Virginia miners want
Cd 10 inslsi that all men at work In West
Virginia before the strike should be guar
anteed regular employment after its close.
The leaders Of the miners were aware
that in many OF the Illinois districts the
miners had signed iron-claa contracts
which run until next May. and they real
ized that IL would he fatal TO recognize
the right OF the MIXERS to break those
contracts AS a matter of fact the con-
tract had already been broken when the
miners went ont on a strike Ia sympathy.
The leaders aid not scruple TO avail them
selves of the advantage which that &C.
ton afforded the strikers. bur they could
not raiify Il when II was submitted to
them in the settlement, Now that the
pittshurw. Ohio and Indiana miners re-
sumo operations. the Illinois operators viii
he compelled TO open their mines also ~
Illinois mist either have strike Of their
own. In violation Of their contract. or the
operators must yield 20 terms which
might prevent the fulfllment Of their Goa
tract with consumers whose terms were
based upon the regular wages which the
miners contracted 10 accept
The state presidents for Ohio and Indi-
ana supported Ratohford 50 his advice
that the terms Of the operators should De
accepted without reference 70 the claims
81 the Illinois men. They all warned The
delegates that r the proposition was re.
teeted the strike weula fan utterly. be-
cause the contest could not BE- continued.
as ali resources had been exhausted
The strike Is ended and Il Is satisfactory
70 know that the operators have met the
warkingmsn in a compromise. Yet the
strike vas SO nearly g failure that 81
should be a warning ia employees not 10
he unreasonable tn their demands L Is
estimated that The miners strike has cost
this country thirty millions IL dollars.
This enormous sam Is made up as fol-
lows; I.oss 10 miners In vases sia.0sa caa.
loss "a mine owners ga PROFITS. 81 .eo0 coo.
loss to railroads 80 freiEhss. Seoa eeo. loss
az b, siuess in company stores s. pt1 co.
loss to eonaunofs because - higher
prices sec sa 70 these sums mast he
added the enormous cost 20 taxpayers
cansed ~ the employment a. large
force 81 deputy zherl1s ard deputy mar.
shais. Ehe ees,rJcgian 81 property. and
tbs contributions made ~ members of
ether ualons ger the ala Il the families
q the ssrskeFe And above all must Re
added the tsrrtAle hess 81 he whlea
marked thc clostrs hours e the hiIter
contest
One teoturo * shls strike which Is
worthy 81 eo,e is slzat TIE leaders who.
heipg pai4 salaries ~ the uuleus. we're
the beast sugsrgre rs ,ho strike. were the
usSt ssear te secep; a comp-erntse ana
~, an ena 10 e. Thsy facea dszappre-
hatlon ard Subjected themselves e
hisses saa aeuse e bile men iks Dehs
End SOVEREIGN we're received with ap-
rAuse Tor lncsssng tas men not 20 visra
Those irFesporslele platform orator.
either did nos kaov 80 ala nos care sar
the sefsert0ss ia gaze remote districts. neg
a. they Arprec.sse tse greet oads ere
naea were eoaten5srS vtth Thsy found
q popular & maSe s,.rftrg speeches. ARA
they dla Sc. Thsy urres ere nsn 30 stand
oet ard sse means ef ve = veg3 cosae.
when a. matter 81 faet. be- sa,ts ~ ,he
Eesf strenuous ca7s,s. the treasury
showed sha' The meas - Telsg Was nos