The Ely miner., 1900-10-19
MAY NOT End THE STRIKE
Uncertainty as to What Will Be the
Action of Miners in Conven-
tion at Scranton.
MAKES MoAcoMMlTAL SPEECH
Than Can BE Remedied NOw-Cau-
tiOns Against Hasty ActiOn-Says
Course Intended to BE Pursued Re-
Quires Serious Thought.

quires Serious Thought.
Scranton, Pa, Oct. 13.-Eight hun
dred and ffty-seven miners who hold
in their hands the power to end or
continue the anthracite coal miners
strike, which has been in 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 en-
pioyers' proposition. Both of Fridays
sessions were devoted to organizing
the convention and speeches by many
of the delegates on the mine owners
concession. 1t was not expected that
anything would be done outside of a
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 nothing of definite ma
ture was suggested whicn would lead
to solution of what is, to the min
ers, a knotty problem.
May Not Be 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
that the operators would first make
concessions in the other grievances
before the increase is accepted by the
mine workers. Great stress was laid
on the necessity of abolishing the slid
ing scale and substituting therefor
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 few del
egates said they would be satisfied
with nothing but a more liberal in
crease in wages.
MitcheIPs Address.
"When this strike was put into effect we
declared that it would not end unless a
majority of the delegates representing the
anthracite miners agreed to it's termina-
tion. 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 anthra-
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
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
doavr nod ntIr dttfxr to nol q ion nd
permit the miners to pass judgment on the
question of it's acceptance or rejection.
I'm considering the proposition of the
operators I want the delegates attending
this convention to be calm and dispassion-
ate, to consider the question in all it's
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 overestimate your strength, and on the
other hand, you should take every precau-
ton to protect yourselves against the
avariciousness of your employers, who, l
regret to say, have shown no disposition
to treat you fairly in the past, and who
have never shown any regard for the well
fare of those who produce their wealth.
For the first time in many years the
operators 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 are based
on a sliding scale has been so unSatiSfac-
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 reserving 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 question which you who
are most interested. are called upon to de-
eide
Now, gentlemen, permit me to admonish
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, anxiously awaiting the
result of this convention. l do not wish you
to accept one cent less for your labor than
it is possible for you to secure. l do not
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 ju-
diciously, I can see destiny brighter and
happier for you and for those who will
take your places when you have passed
away. / can see future where the little
stead of wasting their young lives away in
the breakers, helping to earn livelihood
for their parents. can see future where
pleasant homes and happy. smiling faces
Of the wives and mothers will be in vivid
contrast with the conditions of to-day
No Further Concessions.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct. 13.-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
panies here still insist that no further
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 op-
orators having been refused, the COM
panies will endeavor to operate their
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