The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-09-12
SHAFFERSPEAKS BOLDLY
Denies That Steel Workers Broke
Their Contract.
rEcLAEcs STRIKE is NOT LOST

His Motto: "a Speedy Death Is Pre-.
ferable to starvation"-Would Be
Thankful, for Coal Miners Support.
Brennan Has a Remedy.
Pittsburg Sept. 3.-The big Labor
Day demonstration monopolized the at
tention of workmen and strikers here
and in the surrounding towns. Be-
tween $4,000 and 10000 men were in
line in the parade. In the afternoon
President Shaffer and William J. Bren-
nan, counsel for the Amalgsmated As
sociatiun, were the speakers at an
openAtr meeting.
President Shaffer said in part:
What We need today is not the men
who win recall the mistakes Of Irons
and Debs. Don't let us say with some
of the newspapers that Shaffsr will 60
where Debs and Irons went This
remark was the signal for prolonged
applause. 81 cannot go into the de-
tails of the deliberations, but sufficient
to shy that the trust decided to extin-
guish our organization, when in last
March 1t told the workers in the Dew
ees Wood plant at McKeesport that
they would be discharged II they or
ganized We asked the truH to sign
the scale for an it's mills. It's answer
waR we will not sign. for 6f we let
you organize all the mills, the Amalga-
mated Association will be too strong.
We must have enough non.union mills
to iold the balance Of power What
is a non-union mill? 1t is a menace to
wages. 1t helps TO lower the wages
OF the workers and to enrich the rich
man in Wal, street"
~u,hey say that we broke our con-
tracts when we came out on this strike.
As the head Of the Amalgamated As
soGation in the United States, l am
here ITO say that such statement Is
as false as the heart Of the man who
made It, Our scale book is our con-
tract and we aR willing to work for
the wages agreed to therein There
Is nuthing in our contract to compel
us In continue working with the trust
throughout year.
1T has been safd that the strike Is
already lost and that wise general is
always ready to retreat II by 20 doing
he can save his army from annihila-
ton. All have to say to this is, that
Shaffrrs motto Is n speedy death is
preferable to starvation II we yield
to the trust now, they will steal more
mills and soon we shall be in their
power. j would rather 20 down with
the Amalgamated Association in de-
struction than be It's president with
it, members starving. But the Anal
gamated s not going to be licked.
Tho trust and newspapers wiki have
their inning. but there will be few
Of us left at the finish.
III 1t comes to a last resort, there
are the local coal minerI. II In the
course OF time their leader shall think
1t best to quit work to help US. then
we shall be thankful for support"
Mr.. Skaters closing words were:
III the mighty tyrant sitting on his
golden throne in Wall street should
descend to the humber walks of life
and grip the Amalgamated Association
by the throat and then to strangle It
to death, other labor organizations
will rise up and push the monster back
and say you are mighty. but hold.
for he is our brother"
Mr. Brennan preceded Mr.. Shafier
in an address that wrought his hearers
up 10 . high pitch Of enthusiasm. He
advised them to guard the ballot As
the ark of labors covenant" and
told them that 1t was their ultimate
salvation. The old ways OF fighting
by laboring men will have to be aban-
doned, he said, and up to date methods
employed. He reviewed the present
troubles and closed by proposing .
remedy. This remedy he denominated
a. "labor's Injunction" which he said
10 lawful and equitable. "Enjoin and
restrain the banks from loaning your
money to the trusts" Giving . mass
Of statistics. he said: "0f the e.107. 900
depositors in the banks one.third Of
them at least must be union men and
friends Of labor. When labor oom-
mences run on the banks Mr.. Morgan
will know that there IL something to
arbftrate. Six billions Of dollars can.
not be paid with 81 900 ,00O. 900 Of gold:
$500. 600. 900 Of deposits cannot b
paid with $1,000, 100000 Of gold; 42,-
800, 900, 900 Of loans cannot be paid
with $1,000, 100000 OF gold. Demand
your money. Have every friend of Ia
Dor demand his. Deprive the trust Of
its life: Money. Be united to a man,
and the trust will cry for quarter
within week.
SHAFFER NOT TO BLAME