The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-11

ternoon he spoke to 5000 union men in the amphitheatre at Cascade Park and submitted an offer of the submission of the issues in the strike to arbitration. This was his formal tender for arbitra- ton:
 Now. in our willingness to settle the matter. we are ready to arbitrate. Let the Amalgamated Association select one man and let the trust select one; the two to select a third. We will abide by the decision of three. I wish this to be generally known
 President Shaffer stated that the newspapers had been criticising him because he had not stated whether there would be an effort to call out the carpenters. railroad men and other or ganizations in an effort to gain favor able termination.
 We do not want resolution. This is merely strike. I wish 1t under stood that I stand for no violence Our interests will not permit acts antagon- istic to country and law; we will avoid them if the trust will permit us. It is often asked me, Will you win out? The Amalgamated Association will win out or it will cease to exist. We real ize that wages are at stake and labor conditions are at issue. If our organ ization die, hope it will not have died in vain"
 President Shaffer went to McKees- port from Newcastle and tonight ad- dressed a big mass meeting.
 Mayor Black of McKeesport issued formal statement tonight defending his attitude toward the United States Steel Corporation. He said: "The assertion of the United States Steel Corporation that 1t will dismantle the Dewees- Wood Mill may or may not mean what appears on the surface. In the twenty years or more that I have been a resident of this city I have heard similar threats, the motives of which we have no further to seek than l those who actuate the present situa- tion.
 The reason the trust gives for the removal is that the mayor and peo- pie of McKeesport are hostile to the trust; in other words. because the peo- pie of the city and the chief executive favor the oppressed against the appres- sor; because their sympathies are with the down-trodden and against those who seek to enrich themselves by ill., requited toll. The trust will seek some other fields. Where in all the broad expanse of the great Union can the United States Steel Corporation find the place where the sympathies of the people will not ever be with those who groan under the heel of the oppressor? Where in all the wide world can they go where they can escape the inexor- able punishment that infinitude metes Nut to rapine and injustice? What boots it that the place of oppression means a different name f~the oppres- sion goes on7
 Tt was said many centuries ago that he who wishes justice must do justice and the same principle now maxim of equity. applies as surely and forcibly as when 1t was first enunct- ated. Let the trust treat It's men as they should be treated and 1t will not be necessary to construct mills on wheels that they may flee from every expression of righteous public senti- ment. As a matter of fact if the Woods mill is moved it Is out of date. Talk of the removal of the mill Is an old story. stale and uninteresting be- cause of too frequent repetition. Where In all the land can the trust get better treatment than from the municipality of 'IcK sesportf Take TOT instance the matter of taxes. The trust mills here today pay taxes on assess ment valuations of a trifle over 4 per cent of their real value. On the other hand, the laboring man who owns his own home Is taxed to three-quarters or the real value of his home. Were the trust taxed on the same basis 1t would take thousands of dollars annually from the trust coffers. Cleveland. where the tax campaign Mayor rom l.. Johnson Is waging would hardly do as well. The citizens of Mcheesport by a bill in equity can prevent tnls spoilation. but 1t Is lasting injury to property and injury to taxpayers.
 "T have served many years in the councils of the city and I know what I am talking about when l assert that every request made by the mills here for the vacation of the streets, for spe- cial privileges and for special oenehts have been granted. They have never been backward in asking what they have wanted. They have never asKeo in vain.
 If the Wood Mill is felled. the gap will soon be filled. There is capital enough in the universe and loyalty enough here to make that certain. This city is too strong to cringe under an imaginary blow. Every consideration of location, tax rate and natural ad- vantage points to future greatness for McKeeSpcrt that StaSgers lmaglhA- ton.
 'I am heart and soul with the men engaged in the strike. l gave out Tn widely published statement, Wn'Cn hdu the full approval of the strikers them selves. that 1 would use every power vested in me as Mayor of this city to preserve order here and protect prop erty.I I further expressed my faith in the splendid body of men who make up our army of toilers and said that l be- lieved that if trouble came it would not be through them. This I now emphat- ically repeat. l am and always will be with the downtrodden when they are in the right, and these workers are in the right"
 A citizens committee of Duboise, Pa, has forwarded the following proposi- ton to J. Pierpont Morgan:
 tJ Pierpont Morgan, New York
 we are authorized 10 say that the citizens of Dubois will give $l,O0OOOO to have the McKeesport mills of the United states Steel Corporation moved to Dubois.
 M Rouslander, "G. A. Lukehart, "Walter Hatton, Committee. nDnrrrT NTYTNECT