The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-07

NluSlihS SIlAhc oilSSt'
All ears inclined towards Indianap-
oils, yesterday. AS told in the Asso-
ciated Press dispatches the officers of
the national executive board of the
United Mine Workers assembled there
and set about the consideration of the
question as to whether or not they
should declare a strike in the Penn
sylvania anthracite regions. Nothing
definite was done, or If 1t was, 1t was
not made known and another day of
| anxious expectancy is in store for the
| thousands who hang so much on the
| outcome of the meeting.
The general opinion, now, is that
there will be a strike. The Mine
Workers have declared that unless
there demands are granted by tomor-
row they will strike, providing the ma
tional executive board will give the
order. The operators have positively
declared that they will not treat with
the Mine Workers union and that
they can not afford to grant any gen.
| eral increase in wages.
This would make it appear that the
strike was inevitable, but such is not
! off the strike and do it with fairly
good grace, and There is a we'll defined
| opinion among the operators and more
conservative miners that this will be
| done.
There is no denying that the Mine
Workers are not as we'll organized as
they should be to conduct an assuredly
successful strike. The largest claim
| 10 In, ;c ri ic hat
men, in the whole region employing
10000 men, are allied with their union
The operators say this is an exaggera-
tion, and they know positively that not
more than 1900 of the 100000 men are
members of the union.
CONDITIONS NOT FAVORABLE.
But be that as it may, the organiza-
tlon has not a majority of the miners
on it's rolls and it is at the best mat
ter of speculation as to how many men
not members of the union would fol-
low the Mine Workers If they should
go out. President Mitchell realizes
this and he also realizes that the sem
| timent of the press, pulpit and repre-
| sentative men of the region is against
| a strike. These things, he further
realizes, do not augur well for the
carrying out of n successful conflict,
and it is safe to say, at least, that it
| will be with reluctance that he will
| permit himself to be burdened with
the responsibility of ordering a strike
that has such questionable chance of
success.
When this dilemma fully presents it
self to the executive board, it will not
be surprising to learn that it will do
as 1t has done before under similar cir
cumstances, namely, refer the ques-
ton of strike or no strike" back to
the local unions for vote. In this
way time, at least, will be gained, and
should the strike eventnate and be un-
successful the national board could
say: "Well, we left 1t to yourselves
We refused to sanction It,"
There Is one thing that will work
against this possible outcome. That is
the hidden influence OF the bitumnous
interests, which would not stop al
throwing this region into the throes
of a violent conflict, TO better their
own condition, by being thus given
an easy opportunity of further en-,
croaching on the anthracite markets
CAN NOT ACCEDE.
How fixed the operators are in thelI
decision not to grant any advance OF
wages at this time is evidenced by the
positive statement of Superintendent
f. f. Loomis, of the Lackawanna com.
pany, that while he is not only will
ing, but very desirous, of having &
heart to heart talk with the commit.
tee of Lackawanna miners who are tC
present a request for ten per cent
increase, he would say in advance tina
the company can not consider any
proposition for a general advance IL
wages, as the price OF coal will no
warrant it. "If our men have an,
grievances, l want to hear them, anC
they can rest assured that they will b.
given every consideration"
The LackaWanna miners committet
had not waited upon Mr.. Loomis III
to the close of business hours yester
day, and he had received no notice o
their coming, further than what ap
peared in the newspapers.
A number of prominent coal mel
met at the Jermyn last night, and
while their meeting was made to ap
pear to be quite informal, If not acci
dental, their presence at this time anC
| un ter the existing conditions left tht
impression that the meeting was no
altogether informal and accidental.
: Among those noticed about the cor
. ridor were President w. V. s. Thorne
; of the Delaware Valley and Kingston
? road and Pennsylvania Coal company
r President George b. Smith, of the Fri
, and Wyoming; Superintendent f. f
Loomis, of the mining department o
1 the Lackawanna; Superintendent R. NJ
: Manville, of the Delaware and Hudson
j. B. Dickson, of the Dickson and Ed
}, dy Coal company and New York an,