Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-10-04
GREAT DEMONSTRATION
OF STRIKING MINERS
: fifteen Thousand Anthracite Work.
ers March Through Wilkes
barre Streets.
ARE ADDRESSED BY LEADERS
President Mitchell Declares. Vic
tory Sure If Men Are Primes
Leaves Final Decision
to this Men.
ARE ADDRESSED BY LEADERS

NllkeSbarre, Pa, Oct. 1.-THE pa
rade and mass meeting of the striking
miners in this city yesterday was the
greatest labor demonstration ever
held in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Early in the morning the steam and
electric roads began hauling people
INTO the city, and many thousands
came by foot from the nearby towns.
The buildings along the route of the
parade We're decorated with flags and
ounting, and the city presented a hol
iday appearance.
President Mitchell and party ar
'ived from llazelton shortly after L
o'clock, and We're met ut the depot by
A large and enthusiastic crowd. The
visitors were given cheer and We're
then driven to their hotel.
The parade, headed by President
Mitchell and the officers of the ma
tional executive board. started at =
o'clock. 1t is estimated that there
were fully $4,000 men and breaker
boys i'm line. The music was furnished
by about forty brass bands and drum
corps. Many banners and transpar-
cncies were carried by tho men. The
parade passed over the principal
streets of tne city, and thousands of
people lined the sidewalk,
President Mitchell reviewed the
great army of marchcrs on the river
common He was generously applaud
ed by the marchers. Business was at
standstill i'm the city all the after
noon. The superintendent of the coal
companies and their clerks viewed the
parade from their office buildings
1t was after 4 o'clock when the last
OF the marchers swept past President
Mitchell. Then he and his colleagues
we're driven to West Side park, where
the big mass meeting was held. For
several hours Il crowd had been gath
sring' there. and it was estimated that
aearly 10000 people We're massed in
front of the stand when the labor
president began to speak. He was en-
Enthusiastically received. L. ID. Nichols.
president of Distinct No. /, comprising
the Lackawanna and Wyoming re-
gions, was chairman of the meeting.
Addressed by Mitchell.
After George Purcell, of Indiana,
member of the national executive
BOARD, and Rev. p. y. Dunn, of Wilkes
barre, had made short addresses, Mr..
Mitchell was introduced. He said:
No man would go further to avoid
strike than i. but when all honor
able methods fail then ! favor strikes.
Went to New York to call on the
operators at the sacrifice of personal
dignity to get a hearing. But the
men who employ you turned me away
and even refused to receive Il commit
zee of their own men for the purpose
Of talking over the differences.
The greatest strike in the history
of the world is drawing to close.
Already the great coal carrying roads
nave agreed to increase YOUR wages
10 per cent, which is a great victory
IN itself. True, it is not enough; it
ioes not satisfy us, but the time is
not far distant when the anthracite
.cal miners will receive as much for
men in the world
I'm this struggle do not place abso-
ute faith in John Mitchell or amy
other one man. Put your faith in the
organization. Work hard for its pros
perity, for the stronger ii is the bet
Ter you are armed for the struggle
y which you are now engaged. This
strike shall not he declared off by me.
1t shall not be ended until a conyen-
tion OF anthracite miners shall SO de-
side. Every union and every collicrv
will be asked to send one or more
delegates TO a convention TO determine
The question for themselves. Your in
forests are greater than mine. / shall
not decide the question of Your 90
ng to work. You must vote on that
yourselves. ! will not pretend to de-
termine Your fate, or that of the 500
300 who are directly interested in this
Struggle
MI. Mitchell then briefly reviewed
he struggles of the miners during the
oaSt forty years, and said that the
miners cannot expect to have all the
evils which have been heaped upon
Them during the last half century of
.lnorganizcd labor ri%hted at once.
continuing. MIR. Mitchell said:
II firmly believe that victory will
pe achieved by The men standing to-
gether. DO not let one of YOU move
until all move. If you stand togeth-
- Wv Will tiSIllCNG SItdltE VICTORY
han was ever attained by labor in the
anthracite coal region
The national president was followed
by Fred Dilchcr, of Ohio; Benjamin
James, of pennsylvania, both mem
bers of the executive board, and
Mother" Mary Jones. After the meet
ng President Mitchell was driven
through cheering crowds to his hotel.
Mr.. Mitchell had no news touching
.pon negotiations for settlement to
give out last night lie said there
was absolutely no change in the sit
uation.
President Mitchell, in answer to a
direct question, said that not one To-
cal union in the entire anthracite coal
fields had requested the calling of a
convention of the miners.
Hazelton, Oct. A.. Reports received
per cent increase offered by some of
the coal companies to the mine work
ers has had no apparent effect in
bringing the striking miners back to
work. Half Il dozen houses occupied
by non-striliers in the city were
stoned during the night. but nobody,
was hurt. President Mitchell, accom-
panied by other officials of the United
Mine Workers, left here this morning
for Wilkesbarre, where big labor
demonstration taxes place.
More Collicries Close.
Philadelphia, Oct. 4.-Reports re.
,cived today by the Reading Coal
company are TO the effect that three
more mines were compelled to close
today because sufficient number of
worlimen TO operate them did not re-
port for duty. This leaves only four
pf the company's thirty-nine collieries