The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-10-06
MINERS ON PARADE.
Great Labor Demonstration Takes
Place at Wilkesbarre.
THOUSANDS OF STRIKERS In LINE.

They Are Addressed by President
Mitchell-He Fails To Outline His
Position ON the Offer of
the Operators.
Wilkesbarre, Pa. Oct. 3.-The parade
and mass meeting of the striking
miners in this city Tuesday was the
greatest labor demonstration ever held
in northeastern Pennsylvania. Early
in the morning the steam and electric
roads began hauling the people into
the city, and many thousands came by.
foot from the nearby towns. The
buildings along the route of the parade
were decorated with flags and bunting
and the city presented holiday ap-
pearance. President Mitchell and par
ty arrived from Hazleton shortly after
one o'clock and We're met at the depot
by large and enthusiastic crowd. The
visitors were given cheer and were
then driven to their hotel.
The Parade.
The parade, headed by President
Mitchell and the officers of the ma
tional executive board, started little
after two o'clock, and it required an
hour and 20 minutes to pass given
point. 1t is estimated that there were
fully $4,000 men and breaker boys in
line. The great bulk of the paraders
was made up of stalwart men. AS
rule they were we'll dressed, and some
OF them from their appearance might
be taken for body of farmers. They
did not march with precision, but were
a dense mass of humanity. They
walked six, five and four abreast. The
music was furnished by about 40 brass
bands and drum corps. Many banners
and transparencies were carried by the
men. Among the most noticeable were
these:
The Notices.
1--WE want our dinner pals filled with
substantial food, not coal barons' taffy."
I'VE are fighting cause that is just and
right"
stand by President Mitchell and the
union"
Our union must be recognized"
I'VE will no longer be Slaves
"2,240 pounds for ton"
I'VE want two weeks pay"
Save us from the whims of the sheriff
and deputies"
Down with oppression. we stand by
Mitchell"
The breaker boys carried banners
which said: 1--WE need schooling, but
must work."
The parade passed over the principal
streets of the city and thousands of
people lined the sidewalks. Here and
there an enthusiastic admirer of Pres
ident Mitchell would break through
the lines and insist on shaking hands
with him.
Mitchell Speaks.
1t was after four o'clock when the
last of the marchers swept past Presi-
dent Mitchell. Then he and his COL
leagues We're driven to West Side park,
where the big mass meeting was held.
For several hours crowd had been
that nearly 10000 people were massed
in front of the stand when the labor
president began to speak, The recep-
ton he got from the vast crowd was
most enthusiastic Mr.. Mitchell said
in part:
THE greatest strike in the history of the
world is drawing to a close. Already the
great coal carrying railroads have agreed
to increase your wages ten per cent, which
is great victory in itself. True, 1t is not
enough, it does not satisfy us, but the time
Is not far distant when the anthracite coal
miners will receive as much for their la
Dor as any other class of workmen in the
world. In this struggle do not place alb
solute faith in John Mitchell or any other
one man: Put your faith in the organiza-
ton. Work hard for its prosperity for
the stronger 1t is the better you are armed
for the struggle in which you are now en-
gagged. This strike shall not be declared
Off by me. 1t shall not be ended until
convention of anthracite miners shall so
declare. Every union and every colliery
Will be asked to send one or more dele
gates to a convention to determine the
question for themselves. Your interests
are greater than mine. I shall not decide
the question of your going back to work.
You must vote on that yourself. will
not pretend to determine your fate or that
of the 100000 who are directly affected by
this struggle
Mr.. Mitchell then briefly reviewed the
struggle of the miners during the past 40
years, and said that the miners cannot
expect to have all the evils which have been
heaped upon them during the last half CEN
fury OF unorganized labor righted at once,
Continuing. Mr.. Mitchell said:
II firmly believe that victory will be
achieved by the men standing together Do
not let one. of you move until all move. If
you stand together we will achieve great
err victory than was ever attained by la
Dor in the anthracite coal region. If moth
ing else is achieved than the taking Of
the young boys who to-day yelled as I
passed them in the parade that Mitchell is
all right out of the breakers and placing
them in the schools, the future will show
that Mitchell was all right. I am firmly
of the belief that the mothers of the break
er boys nightly pray to the Ruler of the
Universe to decide in favor of the men,
SO that their boys can go to the schools
"A miner should receive for his-wage
as much as any man on earth, that he,
himself, can build home on the present
tumbling ruins of his hovel, built by the
companies, and SO that he can afford to al
low his children to have the advantages of
the college, too. Through the efforts of
the United Mine Workers we can secure
justice for all. We want to stand together,
and l hope that not one man will desert
the ranks of the union and that not one
man will go back to the mines until the VIC
tory is complete
President Mitchell's address, as far
as outlining any future move on the
part of tie labor leaders is concerned,
was disappointment. He intimated
strongly Monday night that he would
define the position of the union Tues
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