Evening journal., 1900-10-26
Big COAL
STRIKE N
NOW ENDED
President Mitchell Authorizes
Miners to Resume Work on
Monday Morning
FEW OF MINES EXCEPTED
They Are Owned by Companies
Which Have Failed to Agree
TO the Increase
EXPECTED TO FALL INTO LINZ
End Of The Great Labor Trouble |
Especially Gratifying to BuSi-
ness Men
EXPECTED TO FALL INTO LINE

Hazleton, Pa. Oct. 26.-The follow
ing statement, addressed to the mine
workers of the anthracite region, was
given out for publication last night by
President Mitchell, of the United Nine
Workers:
Gentlemen: After carefully canvass
ing the entire strike situation, we,
your officers, district and national,
have concluded that your victory is so
nearly complete that no good end can
be served by continuing the strike
longer. The contest has been in pro-
gress for 80 days, and the companies
employing you have, with few excep-
uons, signihed their willingness to pay
the scale of wages formulated by the
Scranton convention Of Oct. IL and 13.
I'VE are aware that some disap-
pointment and dissatisfaction has been
caused by the failure of the operators
in districts ] and to separate the re-
duction in the price of powder from the
advance in wages; but after careful in
quiry we are satisfied that each mine
employe will actually receive an ad-
vance Of 10 per cent on the wages for
merly paid. In the Schuylkill and Le-
high regions the largest companies
have. agreed that the sliding scale
should be suspended, and that wages
should remain stationary at 10 per
cent until April I, 1901, thus removing
one Of the iniquities Of which you have
complained for many years.
While it is true that you have not
secured redress for all your wrongs.
while it is true that the increase in
your earnings will not fully compen-
safe you for the arduous labor you are
compelled to perform in the mines,
you have established a powerful organ
ization, which, if maintained and con-
Quoted on business principles, will en-
able you to regulate many of your local
grievances and make your employment
less hazardous and more profitable
than before the strike began.
THE companies agree, in their no.
tices, to take up with their mine en-
ployes all grievances complained Of.
We would therefore advise that when
work is resumed committees be select
ed by the mine employees, and that
they wait upon the superintendents Of
the companies and present their griev-
ances in an orderly, businesslike man
ner and ask that they be corrected.
Your attention is respectfully called
TO the fact that the laws of the state Of
Pennsylvania provide that miners
should be paid semi-monthly upon de-
mand; we should therefore advise that
each mine employe serve notice on the
companies that he expects to be paid
his wages twice each month as pro-
vided by law.
"As there are some few companies
who have neither posted, notified nor
signified in any other manner their
willingness to pay the 10 per cent ad-
vance in wages and suspend the slid
ing scale, we would advise that unless
the men employed by such companies
receive notice before Monday that the
advance will be paid they remain away
from the mines and continue on strike
until the companies employing them
agree to the conditions offered by the
other companies. The employees of the
companies who have offered the ad-
vance of 10 per cent and abolished the
sliding scale are hereby authorized to
resume work Monday morning, Oct. 20,
and to be prepared, if called upon, to
contribute reasonable amount Of your
earnings for the maintenance of those
who may be compelled to continue on
strike"
The statement is signed by National
President Mitchell, Secretary Wilson
the members of the national executive
board and the district presidents and
secretaries.
There was much rejoicing here when
the announcement was made that the
coal strike was at an end in so far as
was concerned the collieries where the
conditions demanded by the miners
had been complied with. Everywhere
in the region local unions had beer
awaiting for the news and in a mo.
ment after the press representative:
were handed the decision of the con.
ference the three district presidents
began telephoning a synopsis of the
statement to every mining town with.
in telephone reach in the coal fields
BY this means the whole region heard
the news in very short time.
The United Mine Workers official.
firmly believe that all the operator:
against whom the strike has not beer
declared off will concede the miners
demands by Monday. In fact, it wai
said by one Of the higher officials o.
the union that the statement was mo-
drawn up until positive assurances hac
been received that the other companie.
would comply with the demands