Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-12
THE STRIKERS ARE STILL CONFI-
DENT THAT THEY WILL WIN.
An Effort TO BE Made to Bring Out the
Men Who Are Now at Work
DiEEers in the West Nir-
gInIa Coal Fields an
Obstacle.


an era Of general suspension could he
| wrought as now exists in the bituminous
| mining industry. Then the mouth Of The
| many coal tipples that dot the MOnOnsa-
! hela. YOughenny. Allegheny and Peters
| Creek valleys and the valleys Of Toms and
| Millers run were open and turning out
| thousands on thousands OF tons of the best
! coal that enters into the competitive mar
/ kets of the world. Now, all is changed
| The vast csverns are like so many grave
| yards. On the hillsides. basking in the
shade. there is an army of 1900 unem-
ployed who are anxiously awaiting for
more TO join the troops OF idlers. On near
| ly every railroad track leading TO the
mines there stand empty cars. apparently
| anxious 10 be loaded that their burdens
| may be carried TO the ports along the
| lakes.
The success that has attended the move
| ment has greatly elated the miners. and
| during the next few days every effort will
be made to bring out the men in the few
| mines that are still working. This will
be a difficult task. but they express con-
I hdence in their ability to make the sus-
pension complete before the week is forty
eight hours old.
From the best informa ton obtainable,
the Pittsburg operators are in no hurry
to have the difficulty adjusted. So many
of them had stocks on railroad sidings
which they held for an advance. Much Of
this was disposed of Saturday at a good
profit. One prominent operator said to-
day that it would take another week to
determine the exact state of the market.
and by that time general cleaning up
will have taken place. All interested will
be ready to begin business on new basis
and probably a much higher price
This whole thing will result In COM
promise" said another prominent operator.
''The operators are in a position 10 stand it
for some time. and l believe the miners
are in about the same condition II looks
as If business will brighten up and in that
event the operators will be able to get bet
ter prices and the condition of business
and the condition Of the miner will be sim
Just now the greatest obstacle in the
way Of success of the miner is the activity
They are working night and day. and are
getting ready to supply all the coal that Is
Eeeded. They are repeating what they did
three years ago when general suspension
was declared. At that time there were
number Of operators in the mountain state
that were on the verge OF bankruptcy.
The general suspension was declared, and
there came a great demand for coal, at
prices that insured a big profit. The op-
orators rallied around them a large number
of men. whose friendship and support they
have encouraged ever since. The operators
profited by thousands and thousands of
dollars. When the season had finished and
the strike was declared a failure. they bal
anced their books and found things on the
proper side of their ledgers. They realized
that they owed much of their profit TO
their miners. and rewarded them for it,
On every succeeding pay day the faithful
miners were paid bonuses in the shape of
gold pieces and naturally the best of feel
ing prevails among the employers and en-
This is the condition of affairs the organ
iZers that will go into the West Virginia
district this week will have to encounter.
It>is argued by the miners that there are
more men out in that section than there
were three years ago. and they express
the greatest confidence in bringing them
out IL they can get their cars. This failing.
the railroad organizations will he appealed |
to. This plan of campaign mas been out
lined by the national ofhcerS and the de
velopments of the week will be watched |
with interest.
The miners officials say that the success |
of the movements depends on the action of |
the West Virginia miners. They argue that |
so many men in the Pittsburg district who |
were not affiliated with their organization |
the movement. They will tell the mountain |
state diggers of the success in this district |
and every effort will be made to have |
them join. There are a number of operat-
ors in the Pittsburg district who have ex- |
pressed a willingness to pay the price de-
manded. But the miners have said nay.
They will insist that a majority of the |
operators in the district pay the So cent /
rate or none. This is the ultimatum Of the /
officials, from which there IS no
II is known that some of the min
ers' officials would be glad to let ali the |
operators paying the 50 cent rate operate
their mines. but cannot, owing TO the de-
cisiOn of the national officers. who desire |
to have all the surplus coal taken from the
market.
The new features in the situation to-day
were the arrival of the Ohio and Indiana |
state board of arbitration the meeting to-
night OF the United Labor League of West |
ern Pennsylvania and the report that a
movement was on foot TO import new men |
to take the places of the strikers at the |
t1ttsburg ana chicago Companys mines. |
AT the United Labor League meeting. six
ty-three out OF seventy-tWo labor organiza- |
ions were represented. Resolutions we're
adopted pledging financial
ana moral support to the miners and call
ng upon all the trades unions in Western |
Pennsylvania TO aid and assist in every
possible manner in furthering the interests
)f the strikers.
W. II. Carney. vice president of the Anal
yamated Association, and Rev Winston |
ireen. the colored preacher-miner. were |
appointed organizers and ordered 10 begin |
work at once. Six more organizers will he |
appointed this week. Messrs Carney and |
ireen will hold meeting al Fayette City
o-mOrrOw night. and on Tuesday will have |
harge OF a meeting of miners and their |
wives at Gastonville. II is proposed to in |
crest the women, as well as The men. in |
The league also decided to send out a cir
ular to all trades unions requesting an | .
immediate assessment for the benefit OF the |
miners. Previous to adjournment a teIe- |
ram was received from President Simon !
3urns: who is in Washington. pledging the
Z
slass Workers Association.
Judge Selwynn Oren, of Columbus James !
bishop. of Columbus, and Hon. John Lit |
le. of Xenia. o., members of the Ohio state
oard Of arbitration, and L. 2. Mccormack |
nd ID. Frank Schmid. of Indianapolis |
Members OF the Indiana labor commission |
rrived in the city this evening The mem | {
ers Of the Illinois board of arbitration and
he statistical bureau OF Pennsylvania. are
expected here tomorrow The boards will y
meet in joint conference and after hear 5
1g both sides will endeavor to secure an
micable settlement of the differences be-
ween the miners and operators r
The strikers a the mines of the Pittsburg ! /
Chicago Gas Coal Company. were great | s
: excited to-day over report that owen | !
rouse was In that region and that an at (
ampt would be made to resume work with ! c
nported men. Secretary Warner. Of the |
nited Mine Workers said that II this was O
one there would likely be, and he feared ! K
here would be a lynching. The only news | n
-om the West Virginia field received here
'as that the Beechwood mines, twelve | Il
tiles south OF Morgantown had started up q
lll and were advertising for 100 more a
len. I
VIII Resume With NOn-UnIon Men. =
Cleveland. o.. July 11.-work will be re- 8
lmed tomorrow morning at the Crescent | o
n plate works with nOn-union men. The | L
)mpany says II is willing to pay the wages Il
xed by the scale, but will not sign it. | q
Omething like a dozen nOn-union men have | h
zen imported and IL Is expected that many II
the old men will accept work at the COM | IN
lny's terms. II is believed there NAV be Il
ouble at the works In the morning. q