The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-13
ORIGIN or THE TROUBLE.
1t Begun on April in Strike in
the Fourth District.

the Fourth District.
Chicago. oct. 12.-The difficulty at the
Virden mines originated April l, 1895 when
the miners of the fourth district of hi
nois went on a strike, instituted by the
United Mine Workers. Trouble followed
at once at Pana, but the Virden miners
remained quiet through the summer The
strikers mad asked for 40 cents a ton, and
We're offered % cents.
Actual disturbances at Virden began
Sept. 25 when the Chicago Virden Com
pany, the principal mine owner at that
point, imported 100 negroes from Brmng
ham. Ala.
When the train arrived with them on
board it was met by a large body of arm
ed union miners. who threatened to shoot
the first negro who stepped from the cars
The negroes were finally prevailed upon to
return to the South, and the mines were
not operated.
President T. c. Louck. of the Chicago
Virden Company, then proceeded to make
preparations to get other miners. Oct. 8
Sheriff Davenport notified Gov. Tanner
that there would certainly be trouble and
that the state troops were needed to pre-
serve the peace. Gov. Tanner advised the
mine officials against importing miners
that he was opposed to the system-that
while there was no law to keep them out
of Illinois, he did not feel it to be his
duty as Governor to use the militia Of the
state to give protection to mine owners in
operating their mines with this class of
employees.
Superintendent Louck according TO
Gov. Tanner, replied that the mines would
be run at all hazards-that the company
would employ such labor as they saw fit
thew would ff11pOrt this labor and on
crate the mines with IT, even if they had
to do it at the point of the bayonet and
the muzzle of the Winchester. No troops
were sent. The next day MIR. Louck no
titled the Governor that his mines would
be operated, and demanded the protection
of the state. The matter had been brought
before the state board of arbitration, and
that board decided in favor of the miners,
but held that an injustice had been done
the Chicago Virden Company.
From this point the trouble has been a
dispute between Gov. Tanner and the mine
operators, carried on by telegraph and
other communication. The Governor
steadily refused TO can out the state troops
and charged the operators with importing
ex-convlcts and an undesirable class OF
workmen. The operators declared the men
they desired to bring TO their mines had
been chosen for their ability and their ca
pacity TO become good citizens. They also
SAID they We're Wiling to take back the
strikers at the scale of % cents a ton. but
they could not open their mines at the
eXorbtant demand of 40 cents. The mines,
it is claimed, are all operated in accord
anee with the state law.
Sheriff Davenport has been in sympathy
with the Governor, and says he does not
want to enforce laws that will bring labor
into Inc state, and offered to resign rather
than undertake the task.
one hundred Sprinfeld miners reinforced
the Nirden strikers Oct. TO- armed and
determined TO prevent the negroes from
going to work Armed men have since
been practically in possession Of the town.
Manager Louck, of the Chicago-Virden
Company, swore out a writ of injunction
against thirty-four Of the leading strik-
ers. THESE men had run out of town four
ex-policemen, who had been hired by the
operator. The strikers had not displayed
violence against others until they began
to suspect that more negroes We're to be
brought in.