The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-09-29
MITCHELL ON SITUATION.
Says 10 Per Cent Wage Increase
Would Be Big Victory.

Hazelton. Fa, Sept 2S-President
Mitchell was waiting for information
from New York today as he intimated
several times during the day that
something might develop before night.
In the forenoon he had two long con-
versatiOns over. the long distance tele-
phone and between f and 3 o'clock he
was at the wire for more than half an
hour. He declined to say to whom he
talked. When he was pressed to say
something on the general strike situa-
ton he said:
This has been the greatest indus
trial contest between labor and capital
in the history of America If the 10 per
cent increase mentioned in the news
papers is correct while far from sat
isflactory. it is the greatest victory
ever achieved by organized labor and
won under the most adverse circum-
stances. 1, of course, have nothing to
say as to what action will be taken as
to the acceptance or rejection of any
proposition. This must be determined
by the whole body of anthracite min
ers themselves. Our organization will
not make the mistake which has
wrecked many other organiza tons of
assuming the power to determine
through its officers the happiness or
misery, the veal or woe, of the 500 COO
men, women and children dependent
upon the anthracite coal industry for
livelihood"
In discussing the reported 10 per cent
advance offered the men by the opera
tors, Mr.. Mitchell said:
Under the sliding scale such an in
crease would practically amount to
nothing What the men would gain in
one day they might lose the next"
By the sliding scale is meant that
the wages are fixed according to the
market price of coal If there is an ad-
vance in the price the miners share in
it, and should there be a decrease the
miners cOrrRSDOOdiOC1U =
decrease.
If an increase of 10 per cent in wages
is offered the miners it will probably
be done by means of posted notices and
| the personal visitation of the mine on
orators and not the United Mine Work
ers, because the operators say they
VIII never recognize the organiza ton
If the men so informed desire to con-
slider the proposition they would have
meeting of their local union called
! for the purpose of having the officers
] or those bodies notify the three district
| presidents These presidents would
/ inform the national president AS Mr..
/ Mitchell is not empowered to accent
/ anything less than the miners demands
/ ne could do nothing but instruct the
men to refuse to accept the offer If
/ the strikers should feel that they ought
| 10 entertain the proposition they can
4 ask the national president through a
| local union meeting, and then dis
Irlct convention TO call joint conven-
| ton for three districts The request.
| however. would not be compulsory. the
national president being allowed to use
! his judgment.
The demands of the men were fixed
py Joint convention of three dis
trlcts they cannot accept anything
I less than these demands without a
/ tWo-thlrds vote of the three districts in
! Joint convention, which alone can set
tie any question concerning the strike
me labor leaders here say they fee
that the union and non-union men will
stand out against the reported offer OF
10 per cent increase.