The times., 1901-03-09
LESS DANGER OF A STRIKE
President MitcheIl's Reported So
luton OF the Mining Troubles.

A Method said to Have Been Found
Whereby the Difficulties VIII he
Compromised After an Apparent
FIpht Retvveen the Two Interests.
ZyTTKEERARRE. March S.-The pros
acct of strike Of the anthracite miners
koy is more remote than at any time
since the invitation for a 3oint confer
crre Of the operators and miners was IS
sued This does not mean that the oper-
Eters are going 10 accept the invitation
and attend the conference. because all IN
dications are 10 the contrary, but Il
means that a way will be found Tor
avoiding both a strike and joint con-
ference.
1t is understood that President John
ArI4,E4zIE. .i4-- I-s4itra - -r- NNSfifSr'''
mas solved the problem. and that he is
acting on an understanding with the men
In control Of the railroads and the mines.
This Will result, so it is believed. in an
auuarent fight between the operators and
the union. in which the operators viii re
fuse TO attend the joint conference and
the union viii insist upon certain con-
Cessi0ns.
In the end an agreement viii be reached
which viii be satisfactory 10 both sides
and leave the conditions about as they
arc now. the miners still getting the 10
Der cent over the wages paid before the
last strike The programme, so far as
can be learned. is not TO recognize the
union but so 10 adjust a number Of the
smaller grievances. local at each mine as
20 satisfy the workers.
There is no desire on either side for
strike, and as the operators have all the
work they can do. the miners are max
ing better time and more wages than
they have for years, and the majority
are quite willing 10 continue doing as
they have done for the last few months.
There are some who believe that the time
has come for the union TO assert Itself,
but they are in the minority, and the
conservative element VIII probably carry
the day.
Meanwhile the large concerns. factories,
and others who use much coal are TAX
Ing no chances and are putting Ia as
large stock as they believe they cal
handle in the event Of a strike. The
CunpaHies are working fun time. but are
somewhat crippled 10y the scarcity Of
water, compelling the shutting down OF
many CrllieTies.
SCRANTON. Pa. March s-Interviews
with labor leaders here show that they
are hopeful that present difficulties be
tween the mine owners and the miners
viii not lead 10 q ue-up.
National Organizer DiIcher and Secre-
tary Demus-y, Of the local union, have
just completed q tour Of the Offices Of the
local operators for the purpose Of in
vitlng them 10 attend the Hazleton con-
VentiOn on Friday next
we have met with q kindly reception
and much encouragement. said MI
Dilcher tonight, although We received no
actual promises from anyone that they
would be there. We had particularly
favorable reception at the office OF Su-
perintendent r F. Lo0mls. of the Della
ware, I.ackawanna and Western road
Despite the dispatches from hard coal
towns there is a strong belief here that
there viii be no strike. II is believed
that the coming negotiations Of operators
and miners viii be- the soft coal region
experience over again. Both sides are
now asking for more than they expect 10
get in order TO pave the way for a COM
promise and tn strong probability is that
the present wage scale VIII continue Tor
another year.