Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-09-10
IT MEANS MUCH.
Great Gain to Miners by Accept
ing Columbus Compromise
MIR. RATCHFORD POINTS THEM OUT.
says Acceptance VIII Gain for the
Men in the Aggregate About 3D.
100000 Rejection Means q
Long and hitter Struggle.

Men in the Aggregate About 3d.
OOO,OOO Rejection Means q
Long and hitter Struggle.
Massillon, o., Sept. s.-President
Ratchford, of the miners organization,
started for Columbus Tuesday night to
attend the mass convention to-day. He
sold he believed the miners would ac-
cept the 65-cent rate and return to
work. He continues:
1.-THE miners will meet the proposition
like men," he said. land will be guided by
their Judgment rather than their desires
Our executive council was unanimous IN
its recommendations. each member, ike
myself, feeling that 1t was his duty TO
make known the actual condition ana rec
ommend according to his judgment. with
this. done. the case rests In the hahos OF
the miners and If they see fit to continue
the strike the responsibility of their failure
will be theirs and not their officials. l 90
not. however, anticipate any sucn contln-
nance The miners will accept and resume
work in few days.
Big Gain to Miners.
at was plainly apparent to u.s." MI
would never pay So cents. the price de-
manded. It would be cheaper for them
to cancel all contracts and keep their mines
closed until the first of next year. Now, my
advice to my fellow miners is to accept the
recommendation Of their officers. II they
reject It they will have to fight It out to
the end and l fear the result. The adj
vance demanded by the miners. organiza-
ton Is Is cents a ton. The proposed COM
promise gives us IL cents ton. or four
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 81, 10000 Add
to this a proportionate advance to all
branches of labor around the mines. and 1t
will increase the amount to nearly $780,
600, to be divided between $1,000 miners
and mine laborers in this state alone. Car
~ this line of reasoning to the other states,
and 1t will be found that the total gains to
the miners of those states will exceed 49,
100000. or in the neighborhood Of SIS or $50
per man. On January l another increase,
in my judgment. will take place. though l
am unable to say what the amount may
be-
Delegates Go Uninstructed.
Pittsburgh, Pa, Sept. s.-The conven-
tion of mine workers Tuesday to select
delegates to the Columbus convention
to-day was one of the largest ever held,
and probably has not been before
equaled in excitement and Importance.
{,
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 e9-cent rate demand
ed by the strikers, President Patrick
Dolan by excellent diplomacy, tact and
perseverance, kept them SO well within
bounds that the delegates from this
district will go to Columbus with in
structions to use their discretion in the
settlement of the difficulty. President
Dolan 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 star
walton for many, was imminent. To
him, almost alone, belongs the credit
OF having the delegates 60 unhampered
by resolutions and free to act as they
think best for the good of the miners of
the Pittsburgh district. Dolan's idea
was to have the delegates go to Column
bus untrammeled, where they could
consult with delegates from other states
and with the national officials. He init
mated that there would be many ques.
tions and facts to be considered that
have as yet not appeared on the surface
i: Do1nn to Fight Hard.
From another source 1t has been
learned that Dolan will make a big fight
to-day on behalf Of the mining industry
of western Pennsylvania 1t Is stated
that at the conference with the opera
tors at Columbus last week, he was ap.
praised of certain facts which led him
to believe that not only the operators
but the miners of this district, have
been Disseminated against and a fight
will be made for Justice and fairness
Whether or not the entire battle viii
be fought out Is an open question, bu-
1t is known that the basis for perma
nent settlement In the Pittsburgh dis
trict next December will be well de
fined and thoroughly understood to
day. If the issues are too finely drawn
1t is intimated that there will be seces,
sion from the national organization b,
the Pittsburgh district. BY many thi
move seems probable. Dolan has tn,
sympathy and support of the majorit,
of miners here, and If he succeeds il
rallying the miners of other states t
his cause, as well as he has succeede,
at home, he will have won great bat
tie. Dolan will use every endeavor t
bring the convention into line for tn
acceptance of the compromise rate an
knows he has task confronting him
Many delegates from other states, note
bly, Illinois and Ohio, will go into tn
convention to-day with deterlninatio
to hang out for the 69-cent rate in spit
of the wish of the national officers. Ok
Ian knows this, and in order to have hi
own district with him he succeeded
choking off a resolution embodying tn
rate question by one of the most ele
quent speeches ever heard in city ha
and gained the victory he fought for.
Camp Abandoned.
The striking miners who were Ell
csmped at Irwin left for their home
Tuesday and abandoned their CAM
The strikers said they were satisfied t
take 65 cents and will go to work. A
the men of the Westmoreland an
Pennsylvania Gas Coal company wer
at work Tuesday. AT Hermince tb
miners are actually on the point {
starvation. They were receiving g
cents, and voted to remain at work. TIL
strikers from the river marched to Hel
mince and got the men out. The Be-
wind White company then closed dow