San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-07-06
! THE SIR|KF SITUATION.
Three NOtableS Talk On
The Subject.
SECRETARY OF STATE SHERMAN
SENATOR MARCUS HANNA
AND ]. W. PAUL.
The Secretary Sees No One To Blame
And Thinks Employer And En-
plOyee Must Settle-Hanna
Says It's A Bad Time
For A Strike.

New York, July GA dispatch to the
World from Washington says:
In speaking of the miners strike,
Secretary of State Sherman said to-
night that such disturbances were al
ways serious and threatened to become
injurious to business interests. The
Withholding of so important a prod
uct as coal if considered for a consid-
cradle period, he said, necessarily in
wolves liberal increase in prices and
would consequently effect the masses,
He does not believe that politics re-
lates to strikes-that any party, or
that either the preceding or the pres
ent administration can be held respon-
sible for the existing disagreements be-
tween the operators and miners.
Secretary Sherman said that a So
luton Of these problems must be found
by the employers and those in their
service. They must adjust their diff
erences in their own way and to their
own satisfaction. Outside suggestions
and interference would be resented.
For this reason he does not believe
that any general plan of arbitration
for the adjunction of labor troubles,
as proposed by pending Congressional
legislation would be acceptable to eth
er of the parties, or could be made eff
fective in practical application. The
theory is good, he said, but the execu-
ton would be difficult, If not impos-
sible.
would ge on the same principle as lead
ing a horse to water. The water can
be provided and the animal taken to
it but he cannot be compelled to drink.
New York, July "a dispatch to the
Herald from Washington, says:
Senator Hanna of Ohio in speaking
of the coal miners strike said:
owing to the existing conditions of
business, no one cannot be expected to
raise wages for the present anywhere
in any line of business, and therefore
the strikers have chosen a very unfor-
tunate time to make their demands
whether they are reasonable or not.
With better times, greater confidence
and an increased demand for the prod
uct of the mines, it ought to be possi-
BILE to give the laborers of all kinds a
better return for their labor.
THAT is what we mean by prosperity
an lIlDTONEu COuulllOh VI bNoihSos7t
when money is freer, operations are
carried on upon a safe, sound and
profitable basis, and the humblest Ia
borer reaps the benefit of good times
in proportionate value of his labor.
The hoped for good times are coming,
1 believe, before long, they will not
come suddenly, but gradually and when
business does improve employers of Ia
Dor can listen to the grievances of the
employed. 1 do not see that they can
be expected to do so before. 1t is to
be hoped that the men will agree to
submit the matter of arbitration and
let their troubles be settled for the
present in a reasonable manner. Acts
of violence prompted by thoughtless
passion can never accomplish any
good.
"Of the effect of the strike on Ohio
politics, am not prepared to say any
thing. Business disturbances always
affect the current issues one way or the
other, and misunderstanding FREE
quently arise on account of them.
have no apprehension personally on
account Of the strike, however"
Charleston, W.Va.,July 6.-ChiefMine
Inspector ]. w. Paul, who has been
keeping in touch with the several coal
fields in West Virginia, says that there
is at present no Indication that the
miners of this state will go out.
This" he says, as west viTsinia's
opportunity to find new markets for
her coal. II the miners of other neigh
boring states go out and there is sup
preston of the coal production in those
states, West Virginia can very nearly
supply the demand. In 1885 West Vir-
ginia produced one-fifth of all the coal
produced in West Virginia, Pennsyl-
vania, Kentucky, Ohio and Illinois, and
this when the coIlieries were running
at less than half their capacity. If
this general strike is inaugurated and
the West Virginia miners keep at work
West Virginia coal will hnd new mar