Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-09-08
NINE MILLIONS Cash.
What the Proposed 65.cent Scale
Means to the Coal Miners for
One Years Work.
THAT Is THE INCREASE IN WAGES

Without Taking Into Account Another
Rinse for the Year Beginning Jan. Next,
Which Ratchford Believes Certain-Ex-
pects the Miners to Accept the Scale To-
day-Dolan Carries His Point at Pitts
burg and Gets an Uninstructed Delegation
Condition of Some Of the Pittsburx
Miners Il Destitut.
Massfllon, O., Sept. s. - President
Ratchford, Of the miners organization,
started for Columbus last night to at
tend the convention today. He said he
believed the miners would accept the
65-cent rate and return to work. THE
miners Will meet the proposition like
men," he said, land will be guided by
their judgment rather than their de-
stres. Our executive council was unani-
nous in its recommendation, each MEM
ber-like myself-feeling that it was his
duty to make known the actual cou5i-
ton and recommend according to dis
judgment. With this done the case rests
in the hands Of the miners, and if they
see fit to continue the strike, the re-
sponsibility Of their failure will be theirs
and not their officials. I do not, how
ever. anticipate any such continuance.
The miners will accept and resume
work in few days. 1t was plainly ap-
parent to us that the operators would
never pay 50 cents. the price demanded
1t would be cheaper for them to can
Gel all contracts and keep their mines
closed until the first of next year. Now
my advice to my fellow miners is to ac-
ha do
GERS. If they reject it they will lave to
fight it out to the end, and fear the
result.
Ratchford Does Some Figuring.
The advance demanded by the minerS'
organization is Is cents a ton. The pro-
posed compromise gives US II cents a
ton, or cents less than our demand.
The gain to the Ohio miners alone, by
multiplying the increase by the number
Of tons produced annually, would
amount to $1,430,000 Add to this a
proportionate advance to all branches Of
labor around the mines and it will in
crease the amount to nearly $4,000, 600
to be divided among $4,000 miners and
mine laborers in this state alone Carry
this line of reasoning to the other
states and it will be found that the
total gains to the miners Of those states
will exceed $1,000. 900. or in the neighbor-
hood of $75 or $50 per man. On Jan. /
another increase, in my judgment, will
take place, though I am unable to say
what the amount may be-
Pittsburg District Convention.
Pittsburg, Sept. S.-The convention of
mine workers yesterday to select dele
gates to the Columbus convention today
no 1or
probably has not been before eaualled
in excitement and Importance The fut-
ure Of thousands Of miners, their wives
and children, depended on the action of
the gathering. Although the rank and
file of the delegates seemed imbued with
the idea that the operators were ready
to throw up their hands and pay the
69-cent rate demanded by the strikers.
President Dolan, by excellent diplomacy,
tact and perseverance, kept them so well
within bounds that the delegates from
this district will go to Columbus with
instructions to use their discretion in the
settlement Of the difficulty. President
Do!an was well aware of the fact that
if the delegates went to the Columbus
convention instructed to hold out for the
69-cent rate another strike more bitter
than ever, with hunger and starvation
Tor many, was imminent.
Pittsburg May Indulge I'm Secession.
Whether or not the entire battle will
be fought out is an open question, but it
is known that the basis for permanent
settlement in the Pittsburg district next
December will be well defined and thor
oughly understood today. If the issues
are too finely drawn 1t is intimated that
there will be a secession from the ma
tional organization by the Pittsburg dis
trict. By many this move seems Prob
able. Dolan has the sympathy and sup
port Of the majority Of miners here, and
If he succeeds in rallying the miners Of
other states to his cause as we'll as he
has succeeded at home, he will have won
| q great battle. Dolan will use every
endeavor to bring the convention into
line for the acceptance Of the compro-
mise rate, and knows he has a task con-
fronting him