The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-04
WINTER IS COMING APACE
BUT THE MINERS OF ANTHR ACIrE
COAL ARE BUSY DOING
NOTHING
NO SETTLEMENT IN SIGHT
President Mitchell Denies the Re-
ports That He Is Negotiating
Agreement on Ten Per
Cent Raise Basis.

HAZLETON, Pa, Oct. 8.-Another day
has come and gone without developing
anything new in the strike of the anthra-
cite coal miners Of Pennsylvania. AL
though most of the big companies have
offered their workers 10 per cent net In
crease in wages, not a move has been
made by any of the strikers towards a
resumption of work. The way the men
have thus far stood together without
showing any weakness In any part of the
ranks is considered remarkable by many
persons in this region. That a break will
come sooner or later, however, is believ-
ed by many to be certain 1t is pointed
out that as the strikers funds grow
smaller their hope will become fainter,
and they will then accept the 1G per cent
offered by the companies. But against
this argument is that Of the labor leaders,
who stoutly maintain, as they did before
the increase was offered, that the men
will stand firm like so many rocks
against what they term any unsatisfac-
/, tory concession on the part of the op-
orators. Though President Mitchell and
his colleagues say they are sanguine of.
their ability to keep the almost general
tie-up in force until the operators further
recede from their position, they are not
losing an opportunity to keep the men
from being Influenced into = resuming
work by rumors of settlements, agree
ments, etc. Today President Mitchell was
informed of the wide circulation of O.
story to the effect that he had reach
ed an agreement with the presidents of
the coal mining and coal carrying rail-
ways, and, after verbally denying the
report, he Issued the following:
MITCHELL TO MINERS.
ITO the Miners and Mine Workers of
the Anthracite Region: We have just
been informed that the report has been
circulated at Ashland to the effect that
in a conference in New York this morn
ing between the coal presidents and my
self an agreement was reached which
will end the strike.
IT desire to notify all workers that the
report is incorrect, and that l have not
been IN conference with the presidents
of the coal companies and have made
no agreement with them. wish to re-
iterate what l said several days ago, that
there will be no settlement of the strike
until convention of the anthracite min
ers is held. You are. further requested
to pay no attention to statements of this
kind and to continue the strike until such
concessions are made by the operators
as will justify us in calling general
convention when you will be regularly
notified of the date and place at which
the convention will be held.
John Mitchell
President u. M w. A"
The Injunction in the above address to
the miners to continue the strike until
such concessions are made by the opera
| tors as will justify the union in calling a
general convention, Is regarded as rather
! significant, and as an indication that the
struggle will not be a short one, If the
vast number of idle men can be kept un-
| der control by their leaders. There are,
| however, those who believe that some
| sort of a settlement is near at hand, but
there is nothing upon the surface upon
which such a belief can be based. Presf-
dent Mitchell and the members Of the
national board are credited with knowing
great deal more about the intention Of
the operators than they care to reveal
and that they are simply waiting for
them to again make a move.
The strike situation in the Lehigh val
| ley, as far as the number of men on
| strike is concerned, remains the same.
| One hundred strikers marched from Mil
| nesville to Lattinder, and about twenty
| five tramped to Cranberry from Crystal
| Ridge, for the purpose OF inducing mine
| workers at those places to quit, but they
met with little success. The question of
relief Is now receiving serious censidera-
| ton by the United Mine Workers Off
| cialS,