The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-07-19
THE FIGHT FOR WAGES.
Mine Leader Ratchford's Confidence
in tho Result.
IN THE PITTsBURG DISTRICT.
A Thousand strikers Decide to March
on Working Miners and Endeavor to
Induce Them to Aid in the Great
Struggle.


on Working Miners and Endeavor to
Induce Them to Aid in the Great
Struggle.
Columbus, O.. July 1s- President
Ratchford yesterday summeu up the
strike situation as follows:
"The manner in which the miners
are conducting themselves commends
itself to the country, and gives their
officers renewed encouragement and
strengthens the belief that victory ulti-
mately will crown their effors.
''The history Of industrial strife has
no parallel to the present movement
Deputy marshala coal and iron police
and secret detectives have been at
work, but their presence has failed to
incite the miners to acts of lawlessness,
or even to a resumption of work. Their
presence in peaceable communities
with q chip on their shoulder gave
cause for alarm, and ordinarily would
have caused o resort to violence. But
our miners in this instance, protiting
by the experience of the past, would
neither cause trouble themselves nor
trouble by the action of others.
Reports from some of the cities to
the effect that the coal supply Is not
short Is only intended to discourage
the miners. If the coal supply is not
short, why are prices advancing? Why
is coal worth 81 ton, and even Sl,50.
more than 1t was two weeks ago?
Why are the railroads confiscating coal
shipments? Why are the shops and
factories whose wheels are put in mo-
ton by the labor of the miner iceasing
to operate? Why are the operators all
ever the states offering their miners
rate even higher than the one demand
ed il they will only continue at work?
The reason is patent to all. Coal Is
scarce. Those who have 1t to sell get
fancy prices and those who offer an
advance, particularly in West Virginia
and portions of Illinois. do it for the
purpose Of checking and defeating this
movement and miners who do not
know this will realize it fully when the
battle is over, if such operators have
their way.
I'VE have started into this movement
reallLlllS lully lIC importance VI LIS
work before us and the responsibility
resting upon us, and after two weeks
of suspension, involving more than l50,-
900 miners, we are well satisfied with
the results. Only those who are best
acquainted with the condition of the
miners have any idea Of the extent Of
this suspension and its paralyzing ef-
fects upon the labor and business Of
the country. 1t has not yet reached its
full proportions. The coming week will
add 10000 men to the idle column. The
week following will bring greater &C.
cessions to our ranks.
THE organized trades Of the country
are today in closer touch than ever be-
fore. Never in the history of labor
troubles have they been found so close
ly allied. Our demand for living wages
and the determination of our miners
to secure it have brought expressions
of sympathy and moral and material
support from almost every branch of
organized labor, whose efforts in our
behalf will endear them to all lovers of
fairness and establish for the miners,
with their own efforts, living rate Of
wages"