The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-09-22
RATCHFORD'S VIEW
OfsIlnsrs' Strike seitlsmsnt-ThiRks it's
Great VietoIy-Fightt to be- Kept Up la


Great vletoIy-Flghtl bs Kept Up ln
Thls state.
WASHINGTON. Sept. An d.
Ratchford, president of the United Mine
Workers of America, who is here to at
tend a special meeting OF the officers OF
the Federation of Labor, gave the fol-
lowing authorized statement to the AS
ISOLATED Press to-day;
To-day viii see about 5000 miners
resume work In the bituminOus coal
fields OF the Central states. The strike
generally ends to-day This Is the mid
die Of the twelfth week of Its duration.
II was brought to n close at our conven-
ton held at Columbus, o., on the Sth to
the nth OF the present month, the ten
days time being given to allow miners
and operators to come together In Illinois
and West Virginia 10 meet the prices fix
ed-65 cents a ton In Pittsburgh, GO cents
in Ohio and Indiana the same to con-
tlnue till the end OF December. The min
ing situation Is not likely to become dis
turbsd again until the beginning of next
year, at that time we hope to be able II
settle wage differences amicably and
NlANphN AHN HNNNsalA9 VI "a aAlAhNs ~ 10
well understood that the fight will con-
tinue from the present time in all fields
and against all operators who refuse 20
meet the rates, The greatest trouble will
be found in West Virginia and portion
OF Illinois l am stlll hopeful, however,
that the producers In those fields viii
conform to the change and put their
mines IN operation. Failing to do this,
we will fight them as we have done until
the beginning of next year, at which
time It is said their present contracts will
expire,
II am very well satisfied with the
agreement reached. and feel that II Is the
greatest Victory gained by trades unions
for years past OF course, the victory Is
not altogether one OF miners. While
they have done the striking, trades
unions and organized bodies have sup
piled the necessarles without which the
miners could not possibly succeed II ~
a victory for organized labor, and not for
any particular trade, and we want our
friends who have helped rs to feel that II
Is their victory as well as ours. ! feel
very grateful for the assistance given ui
by the American Federation of Labor,
and the kindly disposition shown us at
all times by Mr. Gompers and the menu
bers OF his executive committee"
Mr.. Ratchford was asked as to the sit
uation in West Virginia and Illinois, and
he said; my advices from West VIr-
ginla are to the effect that our miners
are standing firm; are well pleased with
the agreement reached, and eyince de-
termination to fight their battle to the
end. Our purpose Is to bring the miners
and operators of that state together In
joint convention that uniform mining
price may be fixed and paid for the samQ
vein OF coal and fair relative price for
other veins within the state. In short,
fix a mining rate that will give to West
Virginia fair competing opportunities
and nothing more.
AS TO Illinois, convention OF Illinois
miners Is being held now. ] have not
had any advices from there, but can safe.
ly predict what their action will be. They
will continue the struggle until relative
prices are established, The greatest diff
ficulty IN the way OF an advance in the
Illinois district Is the fact that contracts
were taken last spring based upon n low
mining rate, as they were in Pittsburgh
and elsewhere. But this Is matter that
we cannot be responsible for; 1t Is mat
ter of business to the operator himself
No man has right to sell another mans
labor one year in advance without con-
sulting the laborer. While we have al
ways deferred to the claims OF men along
those lines. the time has come when no
further consideration can be given them,
because the wages paid to the miner ara
below the living point, and the preserva
ton OF life takes precedence over bust
ness affairs.
THE fixing of mining rate that will
give fair competing opportunities Is the
object of the miners organization every
where. We have been working 10 bring
the operators OF the several states to-
gether with this end In view. Though
our efforts have been futile, we Will con-
tlpue to advocate that policy, believing
there Is but one sure way to keep down
strikes and disputes. which are OF no adj
vantage to either side, and that Is for the
miners and operators Interested from the
various states to meet annually, mutual
~ fix prices for each district that are fair
and just, and each party to agree to OBJ
serve It faithfully until a subsequent
agreement takes Its place. During the
eight years that this system was in
vogue strikes and disturbances of gem
eral character were unknown! and the
causes which gave rise to them can again
be removed as soon as the operators in
terested will see their interests in this
light"