The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-09
ALL EYES ON
SCRANTON


be in a position to say, "well. 1t wasn't
my doing" The general public, how
ever Will hold Mitchell responsible for
whatever the convention does. as 1t
hase come to believe, positively, that
he can do with 1t as he will
Two things will be found to be bar
to the immediate acceptance Of the ten
per cent. offer, even IL the delegates
unanimously favored it's acceptance.
One is the sliding scale which obtains
in the lower districts, and the other is
the want of any assurance from the
operators that the new wage is to con-
tinue for any definite period.
The first difficulty is made surmount.
able by the provlso of the operators
offer that they will take up with their
men any grievances they may have.
Whether or not the men will be con-
tent to trust themselves to be able to
| secure new style Of wage scale If LETT
to deal separately with their respect.
i've employers. after the strike is Off,
Is the question on which this problem
will hinge. The fact that they will
have the organization behind them.
whether or not they are on strike and
that the operators will be disposed to
treat them literally rather than court
another strike, may have some weight
in deciding the question. At all events
the Mine Workers, from President
Mitchell down. declare they should
have a fixed wage scale, SO as to pre-
vent the possibility Of the operators
Juggling, the selling prices and defeat
ing the ten per cent. raise, and until
some means of getting around this diff
ficulty presents itself. the offer, though
1t might be in every other respect sat-
isfactory, will not meet with ready
approval.
Other Difficulty.
The other difficulty is, on the face of
it, trivial. but when analysed presents
a serious phase. for in it Is bound up
the recognition Of the United Mine
Workers organization. The Mine
Workers want the offer to hold good
for year and that at the end Of that
time the men and operators should get
together and fix a new rate or re.adOpt
the old rate for another year.
The men won't be satisfied, It is safe
to say, to have each company meet It's
own men in such yearly conference.
and the operators have stOlidly as
serted that come what may they will
| not go into any general conference. 1t
is to be hoped that some way, salts
| factory all around, will be discovered
of overcoming this difficulty.
AS outlined in The Tribune two
weeks ago. 1t Is possible for the men
| to deal with the operators as members
| Of the union and yet not be labeled as
| such, which would be every bit as ef-
| fective, as far as the men are con-
| cerned, and not reasonably objection
able to the opera tors. With the end in
view of meeting the probability of the
union not being officially recognized, a
re-arrangement Of the local unions IS
to be had, by which each colliery will
| have it's own local. A committee of the
employees of any colliery can go to the
| operator as committee Of his en-
ployes and deal with him as such but
| at the same time they are acting as a
committee Of the United Mine Work.
ers. Knowing that almost every miner
| in the region is a member of the union,
the operator will realize every moment
he is dealing with a committee Of his
employees that he is also dealing with
a committee of United Mine Workers.
! For all practical purposes the union.
under these circumstances. can get
along without direct recognition.
Tomorrow's Parade.
Arrangements for tomorrow's demon-
stration are about complete. Another
meeting of the committee Of local union
presidents. having the arrangements in
charge, was held yesterday afternoon
in st. Johns hall, Pine Brook, and the
details for the parade and mass meet
ing We're about perfected.
District President T. d. Nichols asked
to be relieved from the position of
grand marshal, and William Fitzsim-
mons. Of Local 879, Dunmore, was
chosen in his stead. Thomas Davies, of
Local 213. West Scranton. was made
chief of staff, and Francis Farrell, of
Local sos. North Scranton: Stephen
Reap. Of Olyphant, and William
Charles, of Local 213, West Scranton,
We're named as aides.
In the carriages will be President
Mitchell, Mother Jones, Organizer
Dilcher and other strike celebrities.
Mayor James Moir, who is to open the
meeting with an address of welcome
to the visiting strike leaders. will also
occupy carriage.
The right of line is accorded to Local
$685. of Archibald. and 1l42 and 1912, of
Eynon, which are comprised of the
Jones, Simpson & Co.'s employees, who
have been on strike seven months. At
the head of the Third division will be
| the Old Forge locals, Nos. 306 and 13l,
whose members are mostly EMPLOYEES of