The evening times., 1900-09-22
4 Crisis Ia Pennsylvania.

a Crisis Ia Pennsylvania.
What we have been fearing for several
days has happened in the anthracite re-
gion The Rev. Father Ducey, of New
York, citizen and clergyman of national
reputation, who is studying the strike
situation as a disinterested observer, as
serts that the Coal Trust, through It's
armed detectives, has been Systematically
goadfng the strikers into committing
some overt act which would provide an
excuse for calling cut the troops. The
effort has been successful
In the town of Shenandoah, yesterday,
the local sheriff and his posse fired upon
the miners. killing two and woundlng
seven The casualties included the painful
wounding of little girl who CHANGED to be
in the street, and the fatal wounding OF
her father, who had rushed from his house
TO rescue her from the Winchester bullets
of the deputies Naturally, that first
bloodshed was all that was necessary as
a reason for bringing the military into
play BY midnight the Fourth, Eighth,
and Twelfth regiments Of infantry the
Governors Troop of cavalry, ami Bat
terry c, all of the Pennsylvania mill
tia were ordered to the Schuylkiu
district under command of Briga-
der GeneEsE Goblin The other bri-
gades of the State forces are being mo-
biIized and it is probable that the entire
division will be put in the field within a
day or TWO.
4 violent crisis has been thus pre-
cipitated. and the bad blood engendered
by the initial killing at Shenandoah Will
doubtless lead TO much disorder and
fighting today. II as some people may
have ina gined there was hope yester-
day that the efforts of Archbishop Ryan
TO secure a settlement by arbitration
might succeed. it has been dissjpated
fer the present at least, by the C, al
Trusts appeal TO arms. The struggle
from this time on promises TO be bitter
and relentless struggle between un-
organized, poorly armed. and hungry
men, fighting for the chance to eaIn
fraction of the Mckinley full dinner
pail" on one side, and the Winchesters
of the Pinkertons and the rifles sabr5s,
and machine guns of the soldiers on the
other.
StiH .1he strike spreads. Ten thousand
more. miners went out yesterday. Tomor-
row the organizations of the trainmen and
switchmen will meet to decide whether or
not they will haul union coal. Their
decision is not regarded as open to much
doubt. The Shenandoah slaughter and the
call for troops will doubtless settle the
matter and decidedly in the negative
Action of the kind expected would abso-
Iutely tie UP the railways and prevent the
carriage of any more coal from the an
thracite field.
In pointed contrast 10 the OveTbearing
position taken by the magnates of the
Coal Trust, a statement published yesJer-
day by President Mitchell, of the United
Mine Workers, is evidence that the strik-
ers are willing to waive recognition of
their organization, and to meet employers
on the terms which the latter repeatedly
have declared their Willingness to accept.
MIR Mitchell proposes to them that all
the operators shall meet together, and
that committees from all the mines shall
meet together; the two meetings to occur
at the same time. in the same place, but
in different halls; and that then the two
interests shall endeavor TO reach a set
tIement of differences. The only condition
bdIitu tH tit sue Vi the IiSH Is lIidj
whatever agreement shall be arrived at
will apply equally TO all collieries in the
anthra yite region. This proposition shows
the good faith and conservatism of the
men. II is not likely that it will be ac-
cepted by the masters, who have now
thrown away the scabbard and appealed
10 brute force.
The labor element throughout the
country will be aroused to evaporation
by the new Lattimer tragedy, and Will
see in it fresh reason to organic po-
litically against the trusts. What the
Coal Trust is doing in Pennsylvania. to
fasten upon her laboring population
economic slavery with conditions of
semi starvation. enforced by bayonets,
all the trusts will do everyw here else
as they find power and opportunity.
1t is a hideous object lesson, but all
the more will it be taken to heart by the
millions who toll for their bread on
the sixth day of November. Mr.. Hanna
declares that there is not a trust in the
United States. Let him turn his beady eyes
in the direction of Hezleton, Wilkes
barre and Shenandoah Let him ele-
yate his opulent ears and listen to the
crack OF the rifles, the terrifying rattle
of the Gatlings and the shrieks of the
wounded and dvf0gi