The evening times., 1900-10-03
STATUS OF THE STRIKE
Miners Ready to Consider a Rea-
sonabIe Proposition.
President Mitchell to Call a Conven-
tion When Operators Submit an
Promise of a Wage Increase Gem
orally Isaered by Coal Workers

| HAZLETON, Pa, Oct. 3.-The prospects
for an early settlement Of the anthracite
| strike seem to be no better than they
were several days ago. The advance of 10
per cent on the wages of mine workers
and the reduction of the price of powder
offered by the Lehigh Valley Coal Com
pany has been entirely Ineffective in in
| ducing its men to return to work. The
strikers have entirely ignored it and will
continue doing so until fixed wage scale
and fixed price for powder is offered
them
President Mitchell of the Mine Work
ers has very little if anything TO say about
the offer, but Organizer Benjamin James
! said:
we may consider a general advance of
10 per cent if made by all companies, but
we want fixed wage scale. We will not
agree 10 a sliding scale for if we did the
miners wages T.ould soon slide back again
to where they are now. When the strike
is ready fc1 settlement We will call con-
vention.''
From this, it appears that the strike
leaders will not call convention Of the
United Mine Workers until something more
definite and explicit is offered them than
what is contained in the Lehigh Valley of
fer. There is every prospect that they viii
remain firm In this attitude and the COM,
panies will be compelled to make further
concessions If they desire an early settle
ment of the s. Ike.
WILKESBARRE, Pa, Oct. 3.-The ef-
forts of the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre, Del
| aware, Lackawanna and Western, Lehigh
Valley and Temple Iron and Coal Compa-
nies to get their men to return to work
by an offer of 10 per cent increase failed
and now the strikers are waiting for the
rext move. Cheered and inspired by the
great mass meeting of yesterday and the
forceful speech of their president, the
strikers are determined to hold out until
they get terms TO please them and say it
is up TO the companies TO make these
terms
If there is any change in the position of
| the companies it is expected from those
which haze yet made no offer, the Della
ware and Hudson, the susquehanna and
the Hillside Coal Company.
! These have held out it is believed, in
! the expectation that the men would re-
| fuse to accept the 10 per cent increase.
! and it would allow them. without loss Of
| dignity, to make an offer which the COM
panies. having already posted notices.
may agree to if the strikers accept
| There is a general feeling among the
strikers that when the companies have
had time TO fully realize the failure OF
| their first offer, they will make another
The chief point regarding this other
is not the expectation of a further in
crease of wages, but the position of the
| operators toward the union. II the union
| is recognized and the operators agree to
| deal with its officers it is believed the
| 10 per cent offer will be accepted with
out hesitation.
The operators. VIXEN asked regarding
| this declare they will not recognize the un-
ion whatever the conditions to be brought
| about are, as that would lead TO the union
| gradually forcing concessions under the
| threats of repeated strikes until there
| would be no profit left in coal mining
The action Of President Mitchell in plac-
| ing the responsibility of ending the strike
| on the shoulders of the strikers is general
| ly approved. It was at convention of un-
|
was reached and the men will now have
! the same privilege of deciding on their
own eetion, Furthermore If there is any
| difference OF opinion, it can be argued out
| there and if the action taken is regretted
! later, President Mitchell will have none
| of the blame on his shoulders.
| A special meeting of all the big officials
of the union will be held in Hazleton today,
but what will be done is not known. Presi-
dent Mitchell, who left here this morning
| with his staff for Hazleton, had nothing to
say regarding it, but il will probably decide
where a con rention of miners is to be held
| in the event OF an offer for a settlement
/ which viii justify a meeting of the dele
gates to consider it. 1t will probably be
held in this city CT Scranton, as nearly a
thousand delegates will be present and
they viii need a large meeting place and
much hotel room.
NEW UNIONS ORGANIZED.