Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-04-04
The Mine Workers Accept a
Promise of Recognition
AT SOME FUTURE TIME.
President Mitchell Declares for
a Conservative Course.
IN THE ANTHRACITE FIELD.
The Principal Concessions Asked for
by the United .7Iinc Workers Were
Not Granted and the Operators Can
Justly Claim n Victory.

MOI 1faEIeu ana the operators Can
Justly Claim n Victory.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, March 3O.-The
expected strike of $4,000 miners in
the hard coal region will not take
place. At a meeting of the eXecu-
tive committee of the United Mine
Workers of three anthracite districts
held in this city Friday it was decided
that the men should continue at
work. This committee was given
arbitrary power by the general con-
vention of miners held at Hazelton in
the fore part of the month to de-
clare a strike if circumstances war
ranted it. In a lengthy address ic-
sued last evening and which was pre-
pared by Mr.. Mitchell, it is stated
that the circumstances do not war
rant a strike at this time.
Mr.. Mitchell made an address at
.he afternoon session of the commit
tee which was conservative in the
extreme. He spoke of his visit to
New York and his efforts to secure
interviews with the men who control
the anthracite coal trade. He said
all the concessions asked for had not
been granted, but the outlook for the
future was bright and it was lis
opinion that the day was not far dis
tant when the operators of the an
thracite region would see that it was
to their advantage to meet their min
erS in joint conference. 1t took some
time and hard work before the btu
minous operators would consent to
meet their miners, but they eventual
ly did.
Some members of the committee
were in favor of pursuing radical
course, on the ground that if the
operators did not recognize the Min
ers' union now the opportunity
would be lost forever President
Mitchell, however, soon convinced the
committee that a conservative course
was the only one to pursue at this
time.
A number of coal operators when
shown the statement issued by the
committee said it was a graceful
backdown on Mitchell's part, but
they gave the president of the Mine
Workers credit for its conservative
policy. 1t is conceded that had he
so desired he could have made a
great deal of trouble.
On the whole the miners are well
pleased with the action of the com
mittee. While they were ready to
strike, had the order been given,
they are just as well pleased that no
lockout is to occur. There is gen
eral rejoicing among business men
over the news. The suspense of the
past two weeks had a tendency to
paralyze trade. but now a big boom
is looked for.
President MitchelI's statement
says: The representatives of the
operators listened 60 the presenta-
tion of our arguments and while they
would not agree to meet in a general
conference with the miners this year,
they did agree that the notices
which were posted continuing the adj
vance in wages until April 1, 1902,
and agreeing to take up and adjust
with their mine employees any griev-
ances they might have, should be in
terpreted to mean that such griev-
ances should be adjusted with repre-
sentatives or committees of the Mine
Workers; and they held out the hope
that if during the present year the
Mine Workers demonstrated their
ability to abstain from engaging in
local strikes, full and complete recog-
milton of the organization would be
accorded at a future date"