The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-26
STRIKE SITUATION
Declared Off as to Companies
Granting Demands.
Still on as Regards The Non. Complying Com.
panies. President Mitchell Issues
an Address.
(By the Associated Press


Hazleton, Pa. Oct. 25-The mine work.
ers strike has been declared off as to
all companies which have complied with
the strikers demands and the strike will
continue against those companies which
have not granted the Scranton demand.
The strikers will return to work Monday
at the places where the tie uD is ended
This announcement was conveyed in a
statement addressed to the miners and
issued tonight by President Mitchell and
other officials Of the United Mine Work.
ers. The statement says:
After carefully canvassing the entire
strike situation, we, your officers, dis
trict 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
progress for thirty-nine days and the
companies employing you have, with a
few exceptions, signifed their willingness
to pay the scale of wages formulated
by the Scranton convention of October
IL and 49,"
We are aware that some dsappoint-
ment and dissatisfaction has been caused
by the fault of the operators in district
l and to separate the reduction in the
price of powder from the advance fin
wages, but after careful inquiry, we are
satisfied that each mine employee will
actually receive an advance of ten per
cent. on the wages formerly paid In the
Schuylkill and Lehigh regions the largest
companies have agreed that Sae sliding
scale should be suspended; and that wages
should remain stationary at ten per cent
until April /, 1901; thus removing one of
the iniquities of which you have complain
ed 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 earn
ings will not full compensate you for
the arduous labor you are compelled to
perform in the mines, you have establish
ed power of the organization which if
maintained and conducted on business
principles will enable you to regulate
many of your local grievances and make
your employment.
The companies agree, in their notices.
to take up with their mine employees all
grievances complained Of We would.
therefore advise that when work is re-
sumed, committees be selected by the
the superintendents of the companies and
present their grievances in an orderly,
business-like manner, 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 demand; we
should therefore advise that each mine
ba
that he expects to be paid his wages twice
each month, as provided by law.
THE practical benefits to the miners
which accrue from thorough organization
have been so clearly demonstrated during
this strike that it should be needless for
us to urge upon you the necessity OF
maintaining your union intact. We trust,
however, that those who are now men,
bers of the union will be unceasing in
their efforts to induce all other mine
workers to ally themselves with the union
mine workers of America at once, and it
will be impossible for you to secure
higher wages in the future or even to
maintain the present rate of wages, un-
less you are prepared to offer a united
resistance if any attempt is made to re-
duce your earnings upon the expiration
of the present offer.
'As there are some few companies who
have neither posted, nor signified, in any
other manner, their willingness to pay the
ten per cent advance in wages and sus-
pend the sliding scale, we would advise
that unless the men employed by such
companies receive notice before Monday
that the advice will be paid, stay away
from the mines and continue on strike
until the cOnDanieS amn1ovinp thapo aoraa
to the conditions offered by the other
companies; and the employees of COM
panies who have offered the advance of
ten per cent and abolished the sliding
scale are hereby authorized to resume
work on Monday morning October 29th
and to be prepared if called upon to con-
tribute a reasonable amount of your earn
ings for the maintenance of those who