The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-07-23

The big relief fund for the striking
miners Is not to be distributed pro rata
but according to the mems needs, says
District President Nichols, who re-
turned yesterday from the indianapolis
convention.
The plan at present being followed in
distributing relief will be continued,
Mr.. Nichols says. This plan does not
contemplate the distribution of any
money whatever. Instead, the relief
| committees Of the various locals will
receive applications for assistance and
meet these applications by furnishing
what groceries and other supplies the
wants of the applicant and the cOndl-
ton of the fund NAV warrant.
The boards of the different districts
Will devise plans of their own for an
plying the fund. The board of this dis
trict Will have a meeting for this pur-
| pose in the course of a few days.
President Nichols Is satisfied that the
| fund will be amply sufficient to COM
fortably support the strikers, and that
| 1T will be continued as long as the
strike lasts, no matter If it was on a
year.
Some of the locals still have as much
as $1,000 in their treasures, Mr.. Nich-
oils says. and will not call for help from
the general fund for some time. Every
day sees additional miners securing
temporary employment here or else
where. and before many weeks a good
percentage of them will be self-support-
ing. Thousands Of them have gone to
other coal fields and thousands of
others were only deferred from follow
ing them by the fear that the strike
was to be made general. Now, that it
is known there will be no strike in the
soft coal regions and that the anthra-
cite strike and the opening of many
new mines in Ohio and West Virginia
is making plenty of work there, the
younger men, and particularly the
laborers, will so thither in large num-
bers.
A DOUBLE GOOD.
This, Mr.. Nichols explains will effect
double good, because it will avoid the
drain they would make on the relief
fund and increase the number of con-
tributors thereto.
The fund, Mr.. Nichols points out,
will not rely alone on the contributions
levied by the indianapolis convention
Local unions all through the bitumin-
Gus regions have sent word that they
Will at once make voluntary donations
OF Goodly proportions from their treas
uries. One local in Illinois, which has
$1,000 in its treasury, has already voted
to give every cent of it to their anthra-
cite brethren. Trades unions all over
the country will make donations from
their treasures, besides levying weekly
contributions on their members. Con-
tributions will also come from Eng
land, and as Ben Tillett has given as
surance that the British workmen will
do the handsome thing, it can be taken
for granted it will be handsome. The
whole world of untonism realizes that
this fight must be won and proposes
that it shall not be lost, If money can
save the day.
There isn't thing more to be de-
sired,' enthusiastically declared Mr..
Nicholls. Our position is perfection
itself. The fight is as good as won.
can not now see any possibility of our
losing. Our position is now so strong
that l, for one, would not favor settling
the strike until every one of our de-
mands are granted. Before the Indian
apolis convention it would have been
possible for the operators to settle the
strike by granting sope of the de-
mands. l firmly believe now that we
should hold out for everything we have
asked. Previously we would have been
content with victory. Now we are in
a position to completely rout the enemy
and l think we ought to be satisfied
with nothing short of that. The oper-
ators declared for fight to a finish"
UP TO THE OPERATORS.
Regarding the matter of preventing
sort coal from being shipped into the
anthracite region, Mr.. Nichols said he
did not believe the miners should con-
Germ themselves about this that it was
the anthracite operators who were the |
ones to be concerned. If soft coal comes
mere 1t Will hurt the strikers cause, of |
course, but 1t will hurt the operators
more, Mr.. Nichols contends. To have
their competitors supplying their trade, |
and possibly capturing a good portion |
or 1t permanently, will have tendency,
he thought, to help bring the operators |
to terms.
Mr.. Nichols referred to a despatch
from indianapolis quoting him as being |
IN favor of general strike and denied |
that he mad ever made such a declara-
ton. Il was never in favor of a gem
erdl strike" said he land was pre-
pared to fight it with all my strength
OH the iioor of the convention The |
sentiment of the anthracite miners was
against general strike. In fact there
was hardly any sentiment whatever in
favor of the proposition. The thing
was never seriously considered"
Efforts are being made by the strike
leaders TO prevent the opening up of
The Oxford colliery of the Peoples Coal
company. Pickets are posted at the
various approaches to the stockade
gates and when u workman comes
along he is held up and efforts made to
him to turn back.
The thrty-tive men who went to work
1t the Oxford, Monday, are Italians.
They are being quartered at the col
iery. An Italian organizer of the
United Mine Workers endeavored to
communicate with them yesterday, but
VAS unsuccessful. The Italian consular
agent f. Tiscar, has been appealed to-
Dy the strike leaders, to use his influ-
'nce to prevent his countrymen from
-aking the strikers places.
BURGESS INTERPRETED,
Preparations are under way to re-
'ume operations at the Ontario and
Western company's Archibald washery,
'ut interference on the part of the bor-
'uSh authorities may cause the COM
'any some unexpected delay
The water used at the washery is
secured from a drain carrying small
lHtlrll thrn,iuh la ~ lo |