The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-10
BOTH Sides SURPRISED
The Strike Spirit Weakened by the
Delay of the Order.
Operators Growing More Confident
Insist Tint the United Mine Work
ers Are Afraid 10 Force the Issue
Too Much Politics in the Movement
"A deere Conservative Opinion.

today both employer and workman are pusy
discussing it. -Ninety-nine out of every
hundred people in the coal region expected
the call for strike would come last night.
The operators had prepared for it and
many of the workmen had taken their tools
out of the mines. The postponement is
blow which will greatly lessen the en-
thusiasm of many who were keyed up to
the strike pitch. 1t has already shaken
their confidence in their leaders, aid the
added time to reflect on the conditions
may change the intention of many.
Though unexpected by the operators, it
does not change their position particle.
A correspondent today interviewed the
heads of all the big companies here. While
most of them desired not to be quoted. all
spoke freely on the situation.
One of them said Gecisively: There Is
really nothing to say on our side. The
position of the operators is most salts
factory. 1t is up to our friend, President
Mitchell of the United Mine Workers.
now i9
Another remarked: THE action of the
executive board proves only one thing to
me-that is that the union recognizes its
own weakness and is afraid of the final
and conclusive test / should not be sur
prised if the leaders continue to hedge I'M
til they manage to wriggle out of
strike"
One of the most prominent men discussed
the situation at length:
Mitchell he said, lis between the
devi! and deep sea, and he knows it. He
has importuned us, begged us, threatened
us, made efforts TO make settlement,
but he knows it is useless.
I'VE have expressed our decision and
will stick to it. The postponement in
declaring a strike does not effect US in
the least. We will continue to look
after our own business and refuse inter
ference. AS long Oar men will work
there will be work for them. When they
strike we will fight the strike to the
bitter end. There will be no giving in.
President Mitchell, of the Nine
Workers, is shrewd MA. He knows
that the postponement of the expected
order is subterfuge to gain time for
him to extricate himself from the muddle
in which he has gotten himself. 1t is not
the miners he wants to save, but him
self. He knows If he declares strike
we will beat him. He realizes that after
all his agitation if he does not call a
strike the prestige OF the United Nine
Workers is gone. The organization has
existed here for three years. It's members
have paid dues for that time. and in re-
turn ii has done nothing. II has not
even gained recognition from the opera
tors. Now 1t has thrown down the
gauge of battle and may sneak away
from it. This will destroy the confidence
of the men here in it. and it viii utterly
wipe out the organization in these fields
and destroy Mitchells prestige IN the
soft coal feds.
There never has been a successful or
gsnization of miners in this region and
there never will be as long as they are run
for the political elevation of the leaders.
Politics has been the death of all of them
and most of the leaders have feathered
their nests. Look at Powderly, formerly
Master Workman of the Knights Of Labor.
now Commissioner of immigration. Look
at Watchthorne, and others. One year the
knights of Labor elected every man on
the Luzerne County ticket. A few months
later it went to pieces. l believe the basis
of the threatened strike is politics, but l
cannot tell just how. AS for the execu-
tive boards reasons for postponing the
strike. they are absurd.
THE operators do not want more time
We Will not settle anything with the
union. We have nothing to settle, so there
is no hope OF arbitration, or amicable ad-
justmeDt, or anything else the United Mine
Workers propose. The leaders give as an
stroy the New England and Eastern sea
board trade Ey stopping the fuel supplies.
That sounds we'll but is utter rot. New
England uses soft coal, not anthracite A
strike here would not prevent a single
man in New England from working No
negotiations are pending; no settlement is
projected. Our course has not changed and
will not Mitchell is merely seeking a
loophole from which TO escape
This statement is the one endorsed by
other big operators. But Haddock, Presi-
dent Of the BreoBside Coal Company an
individual operator, took the other ex-
IRENE when he said today:
The postponement of the declaration
of strike is in keeping with the sugges-
ton that ] made to the leaders. that it
seemed to me TO be best to give more
time to the consideration of the question.
and if possible arbitrate the difficulties.
The railroads and coal companies stand
together. The interests in this and The
soft coal region are harmonious, and if
the operators and railroads have an
why should not the men.
They should have the power of unionism
IL they use it with discretion, and | for
one am quite willing to recognize the
United Mine Workers If they agree TO
submit all difficulties and disputes to
! have not formulated any
plan Of arbitration yet. but / am willing
to agree to any plan that is Just and fair"
Mr.. Haddock represents a couple of
mines, and there are other small nro-
dueers who agree with him. but they have
little influence compared with the i'm
mense power OF the coal companies whose
representatives were first quoted. En-
quiries among the different classes of
miners show that all of them viii work
tomorrow and will wait patiently for the
result OF the executive boards delibera-
lions. Representative miners were esnec-
tally questioned regarding their view of
the situation, and without exception said |
they were opposed to a strike.
At Plymouth, where great many Ger
mans are employed in the Delaware and !
Hudson Company and Parish Coal Com |
pany mines, the men are greatly averse |
to striking. While they have grievances
they feel that srike viii not better their |
wages. Among the Welsh who are largely |
employed at the Red Ash Coal Company. !
Lehigh and Wilkesbarre mines in Wilkes |
barre, the feeling is the same. At the |
mines of the Lehigh Valley Coal Company |
in North Wilkesbarre. where the nation |
alities are English, Poles, Irish. and |
Swedes, the men favor continuing at |
work The Welsh miners of the Kingston |
Coal Company. the many foreigners of !
the Susquehanna Coal Company, at Nan |
ticoke, and the large Irish contingent in |
the Pennsylvania Coal Company mines at |
all look with disfavor upon a |
strike, but say that If one is declared they |
viii probably obey the order.
RESTS WITH MITCHELL.
Negotiations between Miners and