The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-10-27
THE GREAT STRIKE
AND IMPRESSIONS OF IT AS SEEN ny
\ CORRESPONDENT.
rhe Mine Operators Have Done
Everything Possible to Avoid In
conditional SurreMder-But the
Operators Seem Disposed tO Let IL
Sentimental StubbOrnness. a De-
termination Not to Recognize u
Union,

Indications are many that the an,
thracite coal operators are on the point
of surrendering to the miners, says the
Philadelphia American. 1t would be
easier for some of them If, couple of
weeks since, they had not vehemently
asserted that they would never give in,
could not afford to meet the demands
Of the miners, that, to use the words of
Calvin Pardee, mo one but fool would
make such demands as those made by
the leaders of the mine workers asso-
ciation.' And to now grant demands
or to consider the granting of demands
that they declared but a couple of
weeks ago no one but a fool would
make. requires a rather humbling eat
ing of words. Surrender is hard and
bitter to them. They themselves made
1t so. But they feel the necessity.
titional surrender. seek to get their
miners back to work without conced-
ing to them all their demands. Seeing
the necessity to surrender to serve
their own interests, they strive to Sc
cure the best terms possible. Natural
ly, but not wisely. they want to make
as few concessions as possible. We
say naturally, because it is human ma
ture to squeeze. We say not wisely
because it is not wisdom to squeeze.
The employer who voluntarily grants
the workman what is fair will do bet
ter than the employer from whom the
workman must wiring concessions. The
workman who is given fair and liberal
treatment will be more satisfactory
and prove cheaper workman than
the one whose relations with his en-
ployer are not cordial
The coal operators would do we'll to
take this truth to heart. And they
could not make better beginning
than by frankly recognizing the Unit
ed Mine Workers Union and arrang-
ing terms Of settlement through it.
Even though the miners do not de-
mand such recognition, even if the
strike leaders. the officers of the un-
ion, wave such demand, the operators,
for their own good, should swallow
their false pride, and recognize it,. For
II that t g IA bor union can serve the
: gle glI
y the interests %of Il the OPERA tOrss can
make easier sailing for them. The sbi-5
luminous operators have found this
out and their relations with the off,
GERS of the union are cordial. Terms
Of settlement between the anthracite
operators and miners can be more cas-
lily. more satisfactorily, more promptly
arranged through this organization
than in any other way. But the op-
orators seem disposed to let senti-
mental stubborness, a determination
not to recognize the union, stand in
the way of such settlement.
At this writing there is uncertainty
as to just how far the operators are
now ready to go in the granting of con-
cessions to end the strike. and there is
some doubt as to the honesty of the
steps they have already taken. Many
are inclined to look upon the conces-
sions that some of the companies have
posted as decoy ducks. But the
chances of an early settlement are
bright and it is not impossible that be-
fore the end of another week the
strike will be formally declared off.
The operators certainly show a dis
position to give up, to surrender. They
feel they are beaten, their interests
dictate the making of settlement on
the best terms they can get. They did
not believe the United Mine Workers
Union could tie up the anthracite
fields. They knew that but small per-
centage of the miners were members
Of that union and they did not believe
it's orders would be obeyed by the nom
union workmen. But they have dis
covered that they erred greatly in
their Judgment. The general response
o fthe miners to the order to strike as
tOnished them. the firmness of the
ranks Of the strikers. the complete-
ness of the tie-up by the end of the
first week of the strike, the fact that
no breaks in the strikers ranks fol-
lowed upon the sending of troops to
the Shenandoah district, and, finally,
their failure to cause break in those
ranks by posting notices of an advance
of wages at many of the collieries. has
filled them with greater astonishment.
Troops were sent to Shenandoah on
the heels Of riot and the strike grew
fast after they came, faster for their