The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-09-20
STRIKERS INCREASE.
Six Thousand More Miners
Lay Down Their Tools.
OPERATORS CANNOT GET MEN BACK
President Mitchell Says Thousands
of Men Who Worked Monday Are
Now staying Away From Mines.
strikers Confer secretly.

strikers Confer secretly.
HAHLETON, Pa, Sept. 19.-The sec.
ond day of the anthracite coal strike has
failed to bring forth anything that would
'ead to the coming together of the coal
operators and the striking mine workers
Neither side has approached the other
nd MS far as could be learned there is
20 such move contemplated by either the
ipcrntors or their employees. Unless
here is break in the ranks of either il
Gems that a third party will have tc
step into the breach and try to bring the
two forces together Who that third
party will be and what methods will be
pursued with that end in view no one in
touch with the situation can at this time
say.
President Mitchell in his last state
ment on the situation throughout the en-.
tire anthracite region estimates that
about 6,000 additional mine workers have
laid down their tools, making a total of
11S,000 mine workers idle.
There have beep no important develop.
ments in this district. and what little
change there is in the situation is in ia.
vor of the striking miners. 1t has been
estimated that of 10000 mine workers
in the Hazleton region about 5000 did
not start work. President Mitchell in his
estimate, however, raised these figures to
10000. Careful reports received from
every mining town in the region warrant
the estimate that upward of 1000 add
tional men did not go into the mines yes
terday morning. Not one operator was
reported to have increased his working
force over that of the day before. Pres
ident Mitchell in his statement based on
reports received from his men in the
field, makes the claim that not less than
1.500 men who had entered the mines
failed to report yesterday morning. AL
though the majority of the operators and
mine superintendents give no figures they
insist that they are holding their own.
All was quiet in Hazleton, with the
exception of few petty cases Of breech-
es of the peace. A crowd of mine work
ers numbering about 100 marched from
NcAdoo through the south side, but
caused no trouble. At Jeanesville rs
men at work fled on their approach.
District No. I, which includes all the
Hazleton region, held a secret conference
to devise ways and means of furthering
the interests of the strikers. a central
committee composed of two delegates
from each of the local unions in the dis
trict was appointed to gather information
for the use of President Mitchell.
Mine workers in large numbers have
come to Hazleton to hear the latest news.
Meetings have been held at Stockton,
Harwood, Jeddo, Shaft 3 at Hazleton,
Freeland, Coleraine and West Hazleton.
President Mitchell spoke at the latter
place.
In response to requests on the part Of
many newspapers for his views regarding
the strike situation Rev. Father Phillips
OF st. Gabriels church, who has been =
prominent factor in the strike. gave out
the following authorized statement:
"My views Of the situation, briefly ex-
pressed, may be summed up in few SEN
tences. Operators and miners are in
deadly struggle, one demanding submis-
sion, the other recognition of the union
and concessions. Advantage so far, in the
lockout of collieries. is on the side of the
miners, but the battle has only begun
and endurance will decide the victory. 1t
is question, therefore, of resources.
Continuation Of conflict, If there be op-
portunity for peace, Is an unnecessary
sacrifice of labor and capital. Remem-
Der that the operators ana miners are
not the whole public, and aggression on
the rights of others, if remediable, is
criminal.
"The remedy has been offered by G. b.
Markle * Co. of Jeddo to the employees.
This is arbitration. Other operators have
this remedy and should apply it. Miners
recognizing it as the cardinal principle
of adjustment should accept it when Of
fered. The communities demand it, the
state and nation demand it. Operators
and miners owe willing compliance with
public demand. Rights and obligations
cannot be separated. Victory to either
side gained by unnecessary human mis-
cry is n curse. The public voice, crying
for arbitration, compulsory if not other
wise, must be needed. To still it, to dis
regard it in the face of untold evils. is a
crime against suffering humanity which
cannot go unpunished. Joint conference
or arbitration will decide the responsible
ty and furnish the remedy and reparation
for the social and economic disturbance
called strike and smooth the way for hap
pier relations between employer and en-
ployee making the whole world better
and brighter"