Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-22

Pennsylvania. Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
met in conference and mutually agreed that
the miners earnings should advance %
20-1O0 per cent.
As a result of this conference and other
similar ones in the states of the Missis-
Sippi river and south of the Ohio river
10000 mine workers receive an advance I'm
their earnings aggregating S12,OO0.0O0 I'm
one year, thus precludng even the posi-
bility of a strike for one full year at tho
end of which they will again meet I'm join,
conference to renew the contract and make
such changes In the wages paid as are jus
titled and warranted by the cost of pro-
duction and the values of coal In the mar
kets. This. In my opinion. is the ideal
method of averting strikes and turmoils
and securing for labor and capital that
share of the profits OF their joint industry
to which each is properly entitled
Offer Of Settlement Repeated.
But because I am aware that there il
serious. If misguided. repugnance on the
part Of the railroad carriers and the an
thracite field to recognize our organization
or its officers. the mine workers organiza-
ton, whose chief officer have the honor to
be, yielding all natural pride Of having IL
treated with in the difficulty, repeat what 1
have publicly and privately stated before
that l and my official colleagues will not
ask to be recognized or consulted by the
mine owners IL the officers or representa-
tives Of these great railroad companies will
would do-meet committees Of their own
employees and come to a peaceful agree
ment. Provided however, that such con-
ference between the various companies and
committees representing their own en-
ployes will meet In separate halls In the
same city and on the same date. This pro-
vision Is inserted because heretofore when
committees presented grievances to any Of
these great companies they were invariably
met with the argument that the company
could not remedy the wrongs complained Of
because competing companies enforced con-
ditions of employment not more favorable
to the mine workers than their own. By
holding these separate conferences stimuli
taneously in one city there could be an ex-
change Of opinion between all OF the mine
owners and miners whose interests were at
stake. thus removing the possibility of one
company being placed at disadvantage by
paying more for labor than was eXacted
from their competitors.
Were they to act upon this idea, firmly
believe that the railroad companies could
finally arrive at an agreement with their
employees and establish a relation and set
up precedent which would make strikes
almost impossible in the future. Such ac-
ton on the part of the nine great railroads
would. of course. deprive the United Mine
Workers Of much Of the credit to which
believe 1T justly entitled. but we place far
above any consideration of Individual or
organization the question of what shall be
for the good of all anthracite workers, their
wives and their children In this supreme
crisis.
These are my sincere expressions, and
appeal to an impartial and just public to
Judge between us and these nine raj road
presidents IL they shall refuse to meet in q
spirit Of fairness this proposal Of man
whose chief object 10 to help tighten the
weary burden of a struggling. earnest mass
of humanity. JOHN MITCHELL.
President United Mine Workers Of America.