The Portland daily press., 1900-10-26
Will Be Continued Against Those
Refusing.
President Mitchell Gives Miners Some
Good Advice.

Hazelton, Pa. October 25.-The follow
ing statement was given out for publica-
tion tonight by Pres ident Mitchell of the
United NJ Inc Workers:
Temporary head quarters United Mine
Workers OF America, Hazelton, Pa, Oc-
tober 20, 1900.
''To the miners and mine workers of the
anthracite region:
"Gentlemen After carefully canvass
ing the entire strike situation we your
officers, district and national have
concluded that your victory is so nearly
complete that no good end can be Sc
cured by continuing the strike longer
The contest has been in progress for SO
days and the companies employing you
have, with few exceptions, signihed their
willingness to pay the scale of wages for
mulated by the Scranton convention Of
october II and 13.
''We are aware that some disappoint-
ment ana dissatisfaction has been caused
by the failure OF ohe operators in Districts
and to dcpar1te Tire reduction in the
price of powder from the advance in
wages. but after careful inquiry we are
satisfied that each mine employe Will
actually receive an advance of ten per
cent on the wages formerly paid. In
the Schuylkiu and Lehigh regions the
largest companies have agreed that the
sliding scale should be suspended; and
that wages should remain stationary at
ten per cent until April 1, 1901; thus
removing one Of the iniquities of which
you have complained for many years.
''WhiIe it is true that you have not Sc
cured redress for all of your wrongs;
while it is true that the increase in your
earnings viii not fully compensate you
for the arduous labor you are compelled
to perform in the mines, you have estab-
lished a powerful Organization which, If
maintained and conducted on business
principles Will enable you to regulate
many Of your local grievances and make
your employment less hazardous and
more profitable than before the strike be-
gan.
''The companies agree, In their notices,
to take up with their mine employees all
grievances complained OF. We would
therefore advise that when work is re-
sumed, committees be selected by the
mine employees and that they wait upon
the superintendents Of the companies and
present their grievances IN an orderly.
buslness-like manner and ask that they
be correcte d.
"Your atte ntion is respectfully called
/ ~, J,cL ho ~ kke IF
Pennsylvania provide that miners should
be paid semi-monthly upon demand, we
should therefore advise tnat each mine
empIoys serve notice on the companies
that he expects to be paid his wages twice
each month, as provided by law.
1.-The practical benefits to the miners
which accrue from thorough organization
have been SO clearly demonstrated dur
ing this strike that it should be needless
maintaining your union intact. We trust
however, that those who are now men,
bers OF the union will be unceasing in
their efforts to induce all other mine
workers to ally themselves with the
United Mine Workers of America at once
as 1t Will be impossible for you to secure
higher wages IN the future or even to
maintain the present rate or wages un-
less you are prepared to offer united
resistance If any attempt is made to re-
duce your earnings u pom the expirations
Of the present offer.
GAS there are some few companies who
have neither posted, notified nor signifed
in any other man ner, their willingness to
pay the ten per cent advance in wages and
suspend the sliding scale we would ad-
wise that unless the men employed by
such companies receive notice before
Monday that the advance will be paid,
they remain away from thesm1nes and
continue on the strike until companies
employing them agree to the conditions
offered by the other companies and the
employees of the companies who have
offered the advance of ten per cent and
abolish the sliding scale are hereby au.
thorized to resume work Monday morning
October 20, ana to be prepared, II called
upon, to contribute reasonable amount