Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-07-17
UNITED LABOR WILL
ASSIST THE MINERS
At a Conference of Leaders 1t Was
Decided to Take Such Steps
as Are Necessary
70 MAKE THE STRIKE A SUCCESS
Admitted by All That West Vir-
ginia Is Now the Key to the
Probiem---Wil Concern
trate Efforts There.

july l2.--Ihe mlnc Stflkc
situation last night showed but little
direct change from yesterday, though
the day had beer frought with incl
dents leading up to decisive action in
tie immediate future. TIE principal
movement by the strikers was the Sc
curing a conference of the national
leaders of the several powerful labor
organizations of the country, with tho
purpose i'm view of dcvising ways and
means to assist those who are making
what is considered by all of them tho
supreme effort for wage advancement.
1T is known that concerted action will
be taken today To make the suspension
of mining in West Virginia complete.
which move. if successful, will kill of
the most effective enemy the strikers
have TO encounter. 1t was this field
that broke the strike in 1894. and no
effort will be spared TO bring il into
subsection at this time.
TO supplement the conference of
last evening a special meeting of The
state labor league will be called for
Sunday night in this city, at which
further means of support will be de-
yised.
The operators i'm the meantime are
viewing the conditions calmly, and
profess to be i'm no wise alarmed at
the ultimate success OF their cause.
Conference OF Labor Leaders.
The greatest gathering OF labor lea
ders that even assembled in this coun-
try during a national strike was held
in this city last night TO devise means
to assist the miners in their contest for
;,,.,,.nl ,Nnna. Tho .rpnfnransa Ng1g
called suddenly. but the officials re-
spending represented nearly every
branch of organized labor in the Unit
ed States.
1t was nearly 9 o'clock last evening
before the meeting convened. The
session was secret and it was almost
midnight before it was over. The
press committee. Messrs. Gompers,
Ratchford and Counahan. thea gave
out the following statement, in which
was incorporated, they said, all that
was done at the conference. The man
ifeSto follows:
after an informal discussion re-
ports were made by Mcssrs. lIatch-
ford. Dolan and Warner in regard TO
the situation Of the movement, and IL
was demonstrated that the suspension
was practically general in the bitumi-
nous coal district, extending also TO
Kentucky and Tennessee excepting II
few points in West Virginia. Ii was
realized that the situation in West Nlr-
ginia required attention in order that
the suspension should become abso-
lutely general and success assured.
With that object in view, action was
recommended by President Gompers
Of the American Federation of Labor,
and il was determined TO overcome
this feature Of the contest. II was
also determined that every effort be
made on the part of those present To
secure the cooperation and practical
aid of organized labor for the strug-
Cling miners. All the circumstances
warrant the firm conviction that the
miners will ultimately achieve victo-
ry, and to this end the aid of labor and
the sympathetic public is invoked.
Conscious of the great interest which
the public has in a contest 5 o wide
spread as that of the miners, il gives
us great satisfaction to know that tho
miners have not been and are not now
opposed to arbitration. We therefore
urge and advise that a conference be
held by representatives of the miners
and operators with the view of arriv.
ing at a settlement of the present sus-
pension"
Notwithstanding the positive m.
nouncement by the committee that the
statement furnished the press covered
all the proceedings of the conference,
il is known that an organized effort to
secure a general suspension of mining
in West Virginia was decided upon
After n thorough canvas of the situa
ton it was unanimously agreed that
West Virginia miners held the key to
the situation and without their united
support the success of the genera.
movement would be greatly jeopar.
died.