The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-15
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
EYES OF THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD
ON PITTSBURG.


Great Gathering of Labor Leaders of
the COuntry-If Marching Is Pro-
hibited by the Courts the Men win
March TO Get Arrested That Their
MartSrdom May Make Them
Fricnds-'rhc sheriff Promises TO
break Up the MNrchers' Camp.
Pittsburg, Aug. 1.-THE next few days
the Industrial world viii be turned to-
wards Pittsburg. The greatest anxiety
viii prevail until Monday, when the in
junction proceedings against the march
ing miners viii be finally heard. That
there is much interest in the situation is
evidenced by the presence here of a num-
ber of the foremost labor leaders in the
country. Michael d. Ratchford, national
president of the United Mine Workers Of
America; Samuel Gompers, president of
the American Federation of Labor and ].
r. Sovereign, general master workman Of
the knights of Labor, arrived here this
afternoon and will remain a few days.
While they are here they will be kept
busy. They came from West Virginia and
were brown and enthusiastic.
Ratchford seemed to be well pleased with
the outlook and in an interview said: 1.-The
fight is In better condition that 1t ever
was. The men are as solid as a rock, while
they are increasing in number and deter
minatlon. They are growing stronger ev-
cry day and there are more organizers
among them than there have been. We
have reached the point where we are close
ly curtailing the output and where we have
the courts to fight. In this connection
have to say for every man there is in
carcerated there will be 100 friends gain
ed for the cause. We have not come here
to defy the courts or judges, but to dis
charge a plain duty as We understand it.
If it would be a crime to talk to men of
the benefits of trades unionism and co..
lect them together in peaceful assem-
blage, we are surely ready to meet the
issue"
President Gompers expressed a hopeful
view of the situation in West Virginia.
He said there was some coal being pro-
duced in certain sections. but the supply
was being gradually cut off. He claimed
there was general sympathy for the cause
in the mountain state and maintains that
fully 1900 of the 10000 diggers of that
state have joined the suspension.
A series of meetings to be addressed by
the labor leaders will be arranged. Ratch-
ford, GOmpers and Sovereign will address
a big meeting at Camp Isolation at Plum
Creek tomorrow afternoon. 1t is expect
ed TO be one of the biggest meetings in
the history of the strike 1t is hoped to
have nearly all of the miners employed by
the New York and Cleveland Company at
the meeting and make one grand effort
TO rally them to the standard of the strik-
eTs.
The majority Of the campers are await
ing anxiously for the courts decision on
Monday. In case the injunction is contin-
ued, 1t Is altoge her probable that some of
the men may march in order to get ar
rested. The reason for holding off is said
to be due to the fact that the men have
hopes the injunctiops will be quashed. In
case they are the strikers say they will
camp where they are and march every
morning until the strike is won. The
camp commssaries are well stocked with
provisions, and so far as the material man
IS concerned the strikers viii not suffer.
No move will be made by the sheriff to-
ward raiding the camps until after the
hearing on Monday. II the injunction is
continued he says the camps will be
broken up In short order.
There was n big meeting of striking
miners at McKeesport tonight. over Z, go
strikers were present, and addresses were
made by Ratchford, Gompers, Sovereign
and Mrs. Jones.
Previous to the meeting there was pa
rade of 800 miners and striking steel
workers. The speakers predicted success,
denounced the injunctions and advised the
strikers OF obey the laws.