Evening star., 1901-08-26
NO AID FROM MINERS
President Shaffer's Hopes in That
Direction Blasted.
PLAIN TALK BY MITCHELL
He VIII Stand by His Contract
With the Operators.
TR L S L Nj A K n G. q A / Ms
PLAIN TALK BY MITCHELL
TR ST M A K I n G. q A / Ms

Special From n StaT Correspondent.
PITTSBURG, Pa, August 26-Notwith-
dent Shaffer and his prophecy of an extern
sion of the strike, there is a sentiment
among some of the strikers distinctly ia
vorable to an offer to make terms with the
steel trust. President Shaffer'S prophecy
made before he saw John Mitchell, the
head of mine workers. That young labor
leader gave Mr.. Shaffer some pretty strong
advice and disillusonized him of some
hopes he had been entertaining of SYM
pathy strike on the part of the miners.
The whole thing turned on the old ques-
ton of the broken contracts resulting from
Shaffer's second strike order. 1t will be
remembered that Mr. Mitchell went through
a fight with the Morgan interests last fall,
when he tied up the anthracite coal region
In big strike. Mr.. Mitchell was enabled
to settle that strike and a bargain was
made between the labor men and the coal
trust. The interests that brought about
that settlement insisting upon
Mitchell keeping his bargain. He has made
that clear to Shaffer at the same time in
forming Shaffer that the interests that aid
ed the coal miners now strongly deprecate
tAAS VI IohILdStS ny lHe laHldA-
gamated.
Strike at High Water Mark.
AT this stage the strike leaders find that
the strike has apparently reached high
water mark. 1t has been found impossible
to get out the men in the Carnegie mills,
and the South Chicago men also refuse to
leave their places. The strike thus far has
failed to terrify the steel trust. The stock
has al nd ba
trust has exhibited something akin to in
difference over the situation.
More than this, every few days the trust
starts another mill TO work, and 1t is prac-
ucally assured that the mill thus opened,
formerly dominated by the union, will for
ever hereafter remain non-union. To that
extent. therefore, the AmalGamated is los
Ing ground. There is every prospect in
deed, that when a settlement is reached
the Amalgamated will control fewer mills
than when it started into this fight All
friends of the Amalgamated are alarmed
by this prospect. They love the associa-
ton. which has had a useful career in the
past and admittedly has done a great deal
TO establish friendly relations between cap
ital and labor to keep the wheels moving
In the iron and steel trade. They do not
want to see the association crushed. This
SSHlliHtit also 6XtenuS INTO business and
manufacturing circles to a large extent
President Shaffer, therefore, is being en-
treated to take steps that will save the
association from destruction. / am in
clined TO think that he is not unwilling to
yield to these opportunities, but the trouble
Is to get the trust TO agree to any kind of
terms that would keep him from the odium
of having been badly whipped in the fight
Little Hope of InterventiOn
Very little hope is based upon the efforts
of the Civic Federation officials and Prof
jerks to make terms. The best they are
likely to do, 1t Is said, is to ascertain from
the trust managers the ultima tum of the
trust. 1t would still remain to be seen
whether it would not be of such nature
that the strike leaders would prefer a con-
tinuation of the struggle and being forced
To accept it rather than voluntarily WELD
ing. Within two weeks the AmaIgamted
Association will have to begin paying strike
benefits. 1t is considered doubtful whether
the association has or can obtain money
sufficient to support the idle men for four
weeks.
The steel trust is biding it's time in this
nope. 1t is waiting until hunger begins to
strike into the homes, expecting then to
md it easier to get skilled men to start up
week, but every one of them non-union.
When the clamor OF hungry children and
desperate wives begins to assa,l the strsk-
ers the tempting wages offered to skilled
men to go back to work may Stem irrcslst-
ible. This is the argument of the steel
trust
IL is not meant to be asserted that IL is
absolutely impossible for the steel trust
TO agree to compromise. 1t will be re-
membered that a compromise was agreed
upon once between the trust and Shaffer
but the executive board refused to ratffv
H. That compromise did not contemplate
the destruction of the Arnalgamated Asso-
citation. only restriction Of its growth
The strikers will probably never get anv
better terms than the last compromise of
fered. Moreover, they have lost the mills
that have been started non-union since
the strike commenced
Siiarer Still Confident
President Shaffer and his aids at Anal
gamated headquarters today continue to
profess confidence in ultimate victory for
the strikers. They vehemently DENY that
any overtures for surrender have been
made or are contemplated. and insist that
the strike is stronger than ever
learn from a reliable source this after
noon that the steel trust, if it does reach a
compromise with the Amalgarlated at any
future date, will insist upon the association
ming bond for the fulfilment of con-
tracts hereafter. Any agreement would
also II is claimed. contain a stipulation
that the men brought on strike by SHAFT
ers second order, In violation of con-
tract, must first be put to work before
other contracts are made.
IF the Amalgamated is required to
file bond / asked, what assurance will
be given the labor men that the trust will
keep its contract?'
1t will be suggested was the answer
that in the first place the United States
Steel Corporation is responsible and liable;
IN the second place. that it has not yio-
Iated its contract, while the Amalgamated
Association has done So.
An official of the steel trust said today
that several additional mills would be
started before the close of the week.
N O. NJ.