Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-08-21
A GENERAL STRIKE POSSIBLE.
MINERS SEE NO OTHER WAY TO WIN
THEIR FIGHT.
Operators Overtures for Arbitration
Rejected by Strike Leaders-COn-
ference Call Indorsed by
President Gompers and
j. II. Sovereign.

| rejected the proposition of the PiLtSbu
; operators for conference to arbitrate Il
wage dispute in that district claiming th
such action would be prejudicial to the il
terests of the miners at large. The board
ready to consider overtures for the arbitr,
tion of the issues OF the great strike onl
"hen these overtures come from all tt
operators in the competitive districts. whic
include Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, West Vii
ginia and Pennsylvania. The board has d.
cided not to deviate from the establishe
policy until the result of the st. Louis cor
terence is known. The aggressive work i
the field will be continued. and the effort
to spread the strike in the West Virgini
district will be renewed.
The success or failure of the strike hang
upon the result of the conference, the cal
for which has been indorsed by Samue
Gompers, president of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor, and ]. R. Sovereign. genera
master workman of the Knights of Labor
ihey maintain that the fight now beinl
waged by the miners is one of common in
terest to organized labor throughout tn,
country. At the st. Louis conference, al
| labor organizations will be asked to joir
issues with the miners.
The failure to secure general suspension
In west Virginia has greatly interfered
with the prospects of success, as the coal
supplied from that and the few isolated
districts is meeting the limited demand
The only hope of cutting off this supply
appears to lie in the refusal of organized
labor in the ordinary channels of traffic and
business to refuse to handle or use this
coal. If the object of the st. Louis con-
ference is accomplished, the strike will be
extended to nearly every branch of labor
in the country.
Call for the Conference.
Following is the call for the conference:
ITO organized labor, its various diyis-
ions and subdivisions, and to all reform.
social, educational and scientific bodies
VINO condemn government by Injunction.
and the use of force to coerce the people
and deprive them of their rights as Amer.
lean citizens, greeting:
The great miners strike has gone be-
yond struggle for living wages. A crisis
In the affairs of the nation has arrived in
which all patriotic people must determine
whether they will accept and consent to
i've under the rule of an oligarchy of
wealth or whether the institutions of free
government, the rights of free speech and
peaceable public assemblage are to be pre-
served. p.
Inc present struggle has assumed a CON-
test LOT the preservation of civil liberty
ana constitutional rights.
THE tyrannical and un-American IN INN,
tons OF the federal and state courts are
revolutionary against the first princIpIes
OF iree government, and derogatory to the
inherent rights of the masses, endaneerinp
the PUBIC peace and destroying the ner-
sonal society and Individual liberties of
the common people,
Ihe courts have desecrated the tenn,a
OF justice, and now stand for the defiant
puiwark of confederated capital. Tbe;r
rulings have set up one standard
" rights for the rich and another for the |
poT E. ihey decree that capital is always |
have made it unlawful for starving work,
hg people to appeal against tyrannical |
.reatment, present grievances or propose |
ust ana peaceable terms for the redress |
u insufferable wrongs.
Rtghteousness of the Strike.
The present great miners strike is .,
Expression OF discomfort that originated In
,o'erty ana starvation. 1t was born in
ne sorrow and destitution of hungry
women and children; 1t was the last nro.
est Of impoverished and enslayed labor
nd 1t presents to the world n cause as
ishteous and humane as ever inspired the
ouis Oh christian people. The phiIan-
nlopic neart OF this great nation has re-
htrxr |
cal 1or the right to receive a respectatie
wing Tor the most arduous and hazardous
ipor IN the world. Their appeal for a
man snare OF the wealth they create and
'r the right to enjoy the fruits of ad
ahced civilization finds 4 responsive chord
'erywhere In the community of mankind
no IL 1t were struggle between miners
no mine operators only, liberty would |
1umph over oppression, industry over
reed, and right over wrong without the
ecessity of this call
But it is something more than a Nero
ruggie between employe and employer.
he judiciary has assumed the indsfensible
aims Of the operators, and the struggle is
,tween tyrannical courts and the whole |
eople. The courts. although under oath I
serve the rich and poor alike have vol |
Inferred to defend the sordid interests of
lie rich as against the God-glven rights of
lie poor. and now threaten to turn the
atling guns and the Winchesters of Grim
ais and thugs against all who dare to {
'otest against their desplcable restraining
GERS. GERS Inc judiciary, prostituted TO the
dolng o. oppressive capital. has placed
e rights or property above the rights Of
,rsons. and has Disseminated against the
!.rE any IN otn ne eOn interest OF the few.
: nat 350,eOO miners should be condemned |
lfes OF drudgery and starvation bv the I
'bitrary rulings of the courts is an insult
beneficent creator, an outrage upon I
ee government and a disgrace 10 the !.
tristan civilization under which We live. I
The recent injunctions and their ey y
enc application against the lawful rights i
tne poor the arrest and Incarceration of
ihoreus II OF innocent, inoffensive people.
e general employment of armed thugs to
crave, harrass and coerce the miners | /,
I'VE so eXasperated the people in local. | a
IS where applied that we feel that we can 4 !,
3ce. " y
The People Appealed To. e
And to the end that just and equitable b
ttlement OF the differences between em
gyers ,ys and employees may be effected. the
blic peace. the liberty of the masssS
!. sacred institutions of free goyernrant
preserved and the courts estopped from | u
ese outrageous perversions of constitu- | =,
'Eai G rights, we appeal to that higher q
IRE humane and patriotic court-tbe sreaf | =
opIe-who In times of trouble have AL ! ~
iys proven the just arbiters of differ ~ ~
ces between diversified interests and con
- nnis dement's in the government of hu-
an society We appeal to the librty low
people of this great nation to send ac-
.diled delegates TO st. Louis No. where v;
mas, mass convention will be held Monday. IA
isust ~, lsS. The object OF the conyen OF
T. Will not be merely TO protest asainst n,
. usurpation and tyranny of the courts in
10 formulate plans to compel a return W
i, me ne, ! JPrincipies OF free government and
saiu plans into practical operation
our people have suffered an the e,.;,s
- iT suuerabie ana We are given the | ~