Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-10-24
STRIKE NOT ENDED.
Miners Are Willing to Accept Increase o,
Wages.

LINERS ARE wiling to Accept Increase Of
Wages.
WANT OTHER QUESTIONS CONSIDERED
Are Willing to Submit All Disputes to Arbi.
tration-Want Sliding Scale Abol-
ishsd-Ask that Increased Wages
Continue for One Year.
Scranton, Pa, Oct. 15.-The anthra.
cite coal miners now on strike, after
two days convention, late Saturday
afternoon decided to accept the 10 per
| cent. net increase in wages offered by
the mine owners. providing tthey will
continue the payment of the advance
until next April, and will abolish the
sliding scale. If the operators cousid-
er the proposition unacceptable the
miners are willing to arbitrate the
questions at issue. They also decided
20 discontinue the strike until the CD.
era,nors agree to the conventions prop
osition. The resolution is as follows:
1--WE, your committee, respectfully
submit the following preamble and
resolutions for your consideration:
Whereas, the anthrictte coal oper-
aftors have posted notices offering an
advance of 10 per cent. over wages
formerly paid. and have signified their
Willingness 10 adjust our grievances
with their employees;
Whereas, they have failed to spec
ify the length OF time this advance
would remain in force, and have also
failed to abolish the sliding scale
method of determining wages, We
would recommend:
''That this convention accept an ad.
vance of 10 per cent, providing the
operators will continue it's payment
until April 1, 1901, and will abolish
the sliding scale in the Lehigh and
Schuylkill regions; the scale of wages
i'm She two last named districts to re-
main stationary alt 10 per cent. above
the present basis price; and that the
companies will agree to adjust other
grievances complained of with COM
mihtees of their own employees.
Should this proposition be unac-
ceptable to the operators, we recon-
AucuQ IlHdib Iuc COutShuIOA pIOROSC Chdl
ALL questions at issue be submitted to
a fair and impartial board of arbltra-
tion.
under no circumstances whatever
should there be a resumption Of work
at any of the collieries until the op-
erators signify their acceptance of
this proposition and you are notified
hl,.olS ~ <1xal
all return TO work i'm q body on the
same day"
Judging by the unanfmity of the
miners in accepting the resolution, and
by the determined stand taken by the
operators, at us generally believed that
dong contest between the strikers
and the mine owners is not unlikely.
There was great enthusiasm in the
convention when the counter PROPOSE
'tion ITO the operators was carried, and
three cheers were given 1or President
Mitchell. The resolutions were drafted
by a committee of thirteen appointed
at the morning session, of which the
nsaitbomal president was chairman.
MIR. Mitchell, in an interview with a
represSe ntaltive of the Associated press
ON the outcome of the convention
said:
''The action Of the delegates in con-
Uention to-day in accepting an advance
of 10 per cent, providing they receive
assurances that the advance will con-
rinue in force until April /, next year,
demonstrates that abe miners are con-
Sderate of the public interests in
volved and ARE disposed to be concilfa-
tory, and yet the mine owners refuse
to poin hands with the miners in
bringing the strike to a close. The
respOnSi bility for the suffering that
with entail ON the poor in the large
eastern cities Will rest entirely with
the operators. The operators have
now am opportunity to prove that the
proposition offered them was made in
good faith. If they are willing ITO pay
10 per cent. advance they certainly
ought to continue to pay for six
months. The mine workers will all
remain on strike until they are OFF,
cially notified by the officers of the
union that the strike is declared at
an end. There will be no exception
ITO this rule.
ST can not understand any good
reason why the operators should not
accept the conditions Himed in the
miners resolutions. /, of course, hope
that there viii be a speedy termina-
tion of this contest, and i believe that
in the future the operators, will be
disposed to treat with more consider
ation their employees than they have In
the past.
'I am entirely satisfied with the &C
t6on taken by the miners. They did
mot decide upon THE question with q
view OF pleasing me, but took the step
because it satisfied them. 1t was in
their hands and they showed an ex-
traordinary spirit of Fairness"
When Mr.. Mitchell was asked In
what manner the operators wouldfbe
notified in view that they did not re-
cognfze the United Mine Workers, ho
said the employers would find it ont
through the newspapers.
'fWe gathered most of our informa-
t1on as to what the operators are do
ing" he said, "from the newspapers
and I suppose they are doing the same
thing
Both tn-dayis sessions were again
held in Secret. At the morning session
che ertfre wage scale was discussed
Ia all its phases. and in order that