The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-08-21
ARBITRATION DECLINED.
Miners officials Refuse to Meet
the Operators. ..y..4
THE CRISIS IN THE BIG STRIKE.

"A Conference OF Labor Leaders Called
to Meet In st. Louis, Mt Which an
Effort VIII BE Made to Draw All
Workers Into the Struggle.
Columbus. Aug. 21.-The national ex.
ecutive board Of the United Mine Work.
ers adjourned yesterday after having
issued call for the conference of or
ganized labor to be held in st. Louis
. on Aug. 80. The board rejected the
proposition Of Pttsburg operators for
q conference to arbitrate the wage dis
pule in that district. claiming that such
action would be prejudicial to the in
terests of the miners at large. The
board isNraady TO consider Oyertures
for the arbitration Of the issues Of the
great strike only when these overtures
,:onc from all the operators in the COM
petitlve district, which. includes Ohio,
Indiana Illinois, West Virginia and
Pennsylvania. The board has decided
not to deviate from the established pol
icy until the result of the st. Louis
conference Is known. The aggressive
work in the field will be continued, and
the efforts to spread the strike in the
West Virginia district will be renewed.
The success or failure Of the strike
hangs upon the st. Louis conference.
the call for which has been endorsed
by Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation Of Labor, and
J. Is. Sovereign, general master work
man of the knights Of Labor. They
!. maintain that the fight now being
waged by the miners Is one of common
Interest to organized labor throughout
the country. At the st. Louis con-
ference all labor organizations will he
asked to join issues with the miners.
The failure to secure a general sus-
pension in West Virginia has greatly
interfered with the prospects Of sue
cess, as the coal supplied from that
and the few isolated districts i5 meet
Ing the limited demand. The only hope
Of cutting off this supply appears to
lie in the refusal of organized labor
In the ordinary channels of traffic and
business to handle or use this
coal. If the object of the St. Louis con-
ference Is accomplished the strike will
be extended to nearly every branch of
labor In the country.
The call for the conference is ad-
dressed TO all "who condemn govern
ment by injunction and the use of
force to coerce the people and deprive
them of their rights as American citi-
sens," and Is in part as follows:
1.-THE great miners strike has gone
beyond struggle for living wages.
A crisis In the affairs of the nation
has arrived In which all patriotic peo-
Die must determine whether they will
accept and consent to live under the
rule of an olisarchy Of wealth or
whether the Institutions OF free gov
Irnment, the rights of FREQ speech and
peaceable public assemblage are to be
preserved.
'The present struggle has assumed
= contest for the preservation of civil
liberty and constitutional rights. The
tyranncal and un-American injunc-
lions of tho federal and state courts
are revolutionary against the first
principles ort free government and de-
rogatory to the inherent rights Of the
masses endaBgerlng the public peace
aud destroying the personal security
and individual liberties OF tho common
people.
1.-THE courts have deserted the temple
n Justice asd now stand forth the de-
iiant bulwark of confederated capital
Their arbitrary rulings have set UP
one standard of rights for the rich and
mother for the poor. They decree that
rapital Is always right and labor al
ways wrong. They have made 1t uI-
lawful for starving working people to
appeal against tyrannical treatment.
present grievances, or propose Just and
peaceable terms for the redress OF In
mfrerable wrongs.
"The present great miners strike Is
In expression of discomfort that oriSi-
mated In poverty and starvation 1t
WAS born in the sorrow and destitu-
lion of hungry women and children.
II was the last protest Of impoverished
md enslaved labor, and II presents to
khe world q cause as righteous and
humane as ever inspired tho souls of a
christian people. The phllanthroplc
heart of this great nation has respond
ID in sympathy with the miners ap-
peal for the rights to receive re-
Jpectable living for tho mcst arduous
Ind hazardous labor In the world.
rheir appeal for a small share Of the
Nealth they create and for the right to
lnjoy some OF the fruits OF advanced
civilization finds a chord everywhere
IN the commonality OF mankind, and
K It were q struggle between miners
md mine operators only liberty would
triumph over oppression. industry over
creed, and right over wrong without
khe necessity of this cali
"But It is no longer a mere struggle
between employe and employer The
judiciary has assumed the indefensible
claims of the operators. and tho strug-
Ele is between tyrsnnical courts and
!he whole people. The courts, although
under oath to serve the rich and poor
llike have volunteered to defend the
bordid interests OF the rich as against
the God given rights Of the poor and
how threaten to turn the Gatllng guns
Ind Winchesters Of criminals and thugs
against ell who dare protest against
their dnspicaSls restraining orders. The
Judiciary is prostituted to the bidding
pf oppressive capital. has placed the
rights of property above the rights OF
persons and has Disseminated against
,,lhe many in the interests Of the few.
"That $4,000 miners should be con-
asulned to lives Of drudgery and starv-
Ation by tho arbitrary rulings OF the
courts is an insult to q beneHcens Gre
ltor, an outrage upon free government
md a disgrace to the Christian civillza-
Hon In which we live. To the end that
6ust and equitable settlement Of the
differences between employers and en-
ployes may be effected and the courts
stopped from these outrageous perver-
yions Of constitutional rights, we appeal
10 that higher, more humane and pa
triotic court, the great plain people,
the liberty loving people Of this great
nation, to send accredited delegates to
Bt. Louis, whore q mass convention
will be held on Monday. AUG. 80. 1897.
Tho object Of the convention will not