River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-07-22
THE MINERS STRIKE.
May Take a Month to Adops True
Uniformity Plan.
Arbitration Commission of the Five
States Effects Permanent Or
sanizntiOn-Situati Reviewed
by President Ratehford.

sanizatiOn-situatfo Reviewed
by President Ratehf0rd.
Pittsburgh, Pa. July 17.-True uni
formity may eventually win in the
Pittsburgh mining district through
the efforts of the peace commissioners,
but IL will take time. 1t is expected
that ii will require several weeks, per-
haps a month, to secure the signatures
of the operators to the proposition,
and Gen. Little has advised that no time
limit be put on the movement, as at
the former attempt.
The position of the miners officials in
this new phase of the strike movement
is queer. NJ. ID. Ratchford, the national
president will have nothing to do with
it. President Dolan and Secretary
Warner have cut loose from their ma
tional executive in the movement and
propose to give it their hearty sup
port.
Permanent board Formed.
The arbitration commissioners of the
five states, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, West
Virginia and western Pennsylvania.
have formed a permanent board, with
the object of urging the uniformity
plan with all operators. Gen. Little, of
Ohio, was made president, and b. Frank
Schmidt. of Indiana. secretary.
President Ratcbford Talks.
Columbus, o., July 10. President
Ratchford sums up the strike situation
in an interview to the State journal as
follows:
1.-The manner in which the miners are
conducting themselves commends itself TO
the country and gives their officers renewed
encoura cement, and strengthens the beilef
that victory will ultimately crown their eff
forts. We have started into this movement
realizing fully the Importance of the work
before us and the responsibility resting
upon us and after two weeks of suspen-
sion, involving more than 10000 miners, We
are well satisfied with the results. Only
those who are best acquainted with the
condition of the miners have any idea OF
the extent of this suspension and its par
alyZing effects upon the labor and business
of the country. IL has not yet reached its
full proportions. The coming week will
add 10000 men to the Idle column. The
week following will bring greater Access
sions to our ranks. The movement will con-
tinue to grow, not only from the point of
number involved, but public opinion viii
become crystallized more fully and through
the press of the country will demand a So
luton of this great difficulty. The or
ganized trades of the country ire to-day in
closer touch than ever before. Never in the
| history of labor troubles have they been
found so closely allied. Our demand for
| living wages and the determination of our
miners to secure IL have brought express
sions OF sympathy and moral and materia!
] support from almost every branch of or
ganized labor, whose efforts I'm our behalf
will endear them To all lovers of fairness
/ and establish Tor the miners, with their
own efforts, living rate of wages"
strike Not a Choice.
| Columbus, o., July 20. - President
Ratchford and Secretary Pearce have
issued n letter to the public giving
the causes leading up to the present
\ suspension. The circular says that the
suspension is not a choice but an al
| tentative forced upon the miners in
their demand for living wages. An
| operator is quoted as saying in a joint
I conference prior 10 the suspensions:
go on and fight; we are ready for
| YOU" The movement is characterized
as nothing less than a spontaneous
/ uprising of an enslaved people who
have determined to submit no longer
| to the cruel, heartless and inhuman
conditions imposed upon them by un-
/ scrupulous employers, which has re-
duced them and their dependents to ac-
| tual starvation"
VIII Return to work.
Huntington, w. Va, July 19.-The
miners at Thacker, Logan and Dingess,
who on Saturday afternoon decided to
| strike, held a mas meeting Sunday
/ afternoon and reconsidered their ac-
! ton. They will return to work as
usual Monday. The Elkhorn miners,
who also decided to strike, will, it is
believed, follow their example.
! Debs Talks to Miners.
Fairmont, w. Va, July 20.-Eugene
| V. Debs addressed the entire male pop
ulation of Fairmont Monday night and
about 200 miners from the neighbor-
/ ing collieries. The meeting was very
/ enthusiastic one. Besides the $50
| miners who laid down their tools at
Monongah Monday morning, 27of the Il
men at Pritchard joined the strikers.
Charleston. W. Va, July 90. = The
strike movement among the miners in
! the Kanawha valley received a slight
! impetus Monday morning when the
]
| cided to go out. This increases the
number of idle miners to ten and the
number of idle men to about 500.
/ President Mc<inIey's Aid Asked.
Pittsburgh, Pa, July 90. = Pitts
/ burgh council Monday in regular ses-
sion passed a resolution calling on
President Mckinley to use his good
/ offices in the settlement of the coal
| miners strike. The resolution advo-
/ Gates arbitration on true uniformity
! basis and urges the president to act
/ promptly in the matter before the
/ strike develops into an industrial war
! that threatens to violate the public
/ peace and seriously interfere with the
business interests of this community.
To Try to start the Mines.
! Pittsburgh. Pa, July 20.-Unless the
miners leaders are able to get the West
Virginia diggers out early this week.
| the local strike situation promises to
grow very interesting about the last of
this week and TO come to a crisis next
/ Monday morning, as indicated in the
dispatches Sunday night. Several of
/ the local operators have announced
that they are tired of seeing their con-
\ tracts get away from them, and that
the mines now supplying their trade
must be stopped or their own mines
will be put into operation.
More Illinois Miners Go Out.
! st. Louis, July 20.-Information just
received is to the effect that 450 miners
employed in the shafts of the St Louis
4 Consolidated company at Collinsyille.
/ ILL.,. went out Monday at the request of
the marching delegation from Staunton,
/ Glen Carbon and Mount Olivet coal
mines. They created no disorder.
Rock Island. Ill..July 20.-The miners
/ at Sherrard and Cable. Mercer county.
struck Monday afternoon.
Rescued.
Phoenix, A. t.. July 19.-Iames Stew
ems was rescued from the Mammoth
! mine, after an imprisonment of ! ! days