Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1900-10-18
MAY NOT End TIE STRIKE
Uncertainty as to What Will Be the
Action of Miners in CUnven-
ton at Scranton.
MITCHELL MAKES NOHC0MMITAL SPEECH
Declares the Grievances Are Greater
Than Can BE Remedied NOw-Cau-
ton. Against Hnsty ActiOn-SaNs
Course Intended to BE Pursued Re-
quire. Serious Thought.

quires Serious Thought.
Scranton. Pa. Oct l3.-Eight hum
bred and tiftyseven miners who hold
in their hands the power to end or
continue the anthracite coal miners
strike. which has been III progress for
more than three weeks. met in con-
vention here Friday for the purpose
of considering the ten per cent, net
advance in wages offered by the oper-
ators and adjourned until to-day With
out taking any action on their em-
powers proposition. Both of Friday S
sessions were devoted to organizing
the convention and speeches by many
O; the delegates on the mine owners
concession. 1t was not expected that
anything would be done outside of
general exchange of views. The con-
! vention. after it WAS permanently or
ganized, went into secret session. but
it was learned from authoritative
sources that not hing of a definite ma
ture was suggested when would lead
to a solution of what is, TO the min
! ers, a lnotty problem.
May Not lie accepted.
| From the trend of the remarks of
| the delegates it was gathered that the
| ten per cent. proposition as it now
stands has very little chance of being
accepted The delegates seemed, it
| was learned. to be almost unanimous
| hat the operators would first make
| concessions in the other grievances
| Il l,y-t No.
| mine workers. Great stress was laid
| on the necessity OF abo!ishing he slid
| ING scale and substituting therefor a
tonnage basis ON which to fix the rate
of wages. The proposition of having
| the operators guarantee fixed time
for paying the advance was also thor
oughly discussed. while not a few del
egates said they would be satisfied
with nothing but a more liberal in
crease in wages.
| MitchclIs Address.
"When this strike was put into effect We
| declared that it would not end unless
majority of the delegates representing the
| anthracite miners agreed TO its termina-
| ton. We repeatedly announced that We
| would not undertake to decide the future
| happiness or misery, the veal or woe of the
| 100000 persons dependent upon the anth!a
| cite coal industry for a LIVELIHOOD We be-
| lieve that the men who mine coal, that the
| men who work in the collieries, that the
I boys who work in the breakers. should all
| be consulted before The officers OF your
! union declare the strike at an end. Learn
! ing that the operators had posted notices
| at their mines Offering an advance of ten
| per cent. on the wages formerly paid. We
| deemed it our duty to call a convention and
permit the miners to pass Judgment on the
| question Of its acceptance or rejection.
\ "ln considering the proposition of the
! operators l want the delegates attending
| this convention to be calm and dispassion-
ate. to consider the question in all its
! phases, to measure carefully the chances
| of success and the possibilities of defeat
| should the strike be continued. You must
| not reach conclusions hastily, you must
| not restimate Your strength, and on the
| other hand. you should take every precau-
| ton to protect yourselves against the
| righteousness of Your employers, who. /
| regret to say, have shown no disposition
| to treat you fairly in the past, and who
| have never shown any regard for the vel
fare of those who produce their wealth.
| For the first time in many Years the
| opera tors have recognized Your demands
for better conditions of employment, and
! have offered an advance OF ten per cent in
| Your wages. l am Well aware that this adj
| vance is not satisfactory to YOU. You
| have felt. and with justice. that definite
| period of time should be named during
which this advance should remain in force.
| Your experience where wages based
| on a sliding scale has been so uEsatisfac-
tory TO YOU that you believe that the
| sliding scale method OF determining wages
should be abolished, YOU also believe that
the laws of Pennsylvania should be obeyed
by the coal companies, and wages be paid
twice each month, you reservins the right
| of spending Your earnings wherever YOU
| choose. Whether it is believed best at this
| time to insist upon a compliance with all
| Your demands is a question which YOU who
are most !nteres ted, a!led upon TO &C.
clde
| Now. gentlemen, permit me to a9monish
you to consider seriously the course YOU
| intend TO pursue. The eyes of the -Ameri-
| can people are centered on the city of
| Scranton to-day, anxious!y awaiting the
result of this convention. do not wish you
! TO accept one cent less for your labor than
| it is possible for YOU to secure. do Tot
! wish the great organization which has
been built up among you to be wrecked and
! ruined through any mistake OF mine or
yours If you legislate wisely and jul
| diciousy, l can destiny brighter and
happier for YOU and for those who will
take your places when you have passed
| away. l can see future where the little
! boys will be in attendance at school in
| stead Of wasting their young lives away in
| the breakers. helping tC earn a livelihood
pleasant homes and happy smiling faces
of the wives and mothers will be in vivid
| contrast with the conditions of to>ay'
No Further COncessions.
| Wilkesbarre. Pa, Oct. l3.-The op-
orators of the Wyoming valley are
watching with interest the proceed
ings Of the Scranton convention. The
representatives of the big coal COM
| concessions would be made to the men
and that if the offer Of ten per cent,
increase is rejected the strike is des-
tined to go on. The offer of the OPP
orators having been refused. The COM
panies will endeavor to operate their
mines with new men. Should the
strikers interfere, then the state will
he called l1non m DrOtect tboSa mon