The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-18

Mine workers or the lnree
anthracite districts will un-
doubtedly respond to the counsel and
guidance of John Mitchell. If he
deems a strike wise, there will be a
strike; if he has other plans, they will
be carried out. John Mitchelfs COM
mand Of the miners organization is
unquestionable; and it is merely just
to say that he has exercised with dis
cretion and. upon the whole, with con-
spicuous ability the power which he
holds. Taking into account the diff
culties besetting the leadership of a
labor movement on the scale of the
United Mine Workers, it must be re-
cognized by all wishing to be fair that
he has succeeded to degree very un-
usual in such matters; and he has had
efficient help from the district presi-
dents. who have shown themselves men
of conservative inclination and pru-
dence.
OF the demands which seem likely to
come before the Shamokin convention
for Endorsement, that for a recognition
of the union by the operators is prob
ably the one having the firmest sup
port among the delegates. 1t is not
unreasonable. The union exists. 1t
controls the labor situation in and
about the mines. Declining to recog-
nize it means withholding simply
something technical, for every opera
tor knows that it has to be recognized
TN in, 1r ,ln.;1
business. BY what logic the full sig
nificance of technical recognition is
withheld, we do not know. What the
operators have in mind as the benefit
to accrue to them from such withhold
ing. we cannot guess. Possibly this
will appear later on. AT present, it is
in the dark.
Speculation as to what the conven-
tion will do and as to the local conse-
quences of its actions is naturally in
teresting but necessarily inconclusive.
We do not look for strike. The con-
ditions do not seem propitious for one
from the standpoint of the miners
both as individuals and as an organ
ization. Individually, they could not
hope to gain financially what they
would lose by one. AS an organization,
they would run the risk of defeat,
which would be fatal, while, should
they win, they would be only techni-
cally and not actually stronger than
they are now. There is today no presi-
Dental election to enlist powerful poll-
tical interests in their behalf; and.
while the amalgamation between hard
and soft coal unions is today much
further advanced than it was when the
last strike was declared, to call out the
soft coal men would sacrifice income
as we'll as weaken the fighting force
by immensely extending the battle-line.
and not to call them out would invite
dissension among the anthracite work.
ers.
For these reasons, which are as plain
to John Mitchell as to anybody else,
we do not expect a strike, and we OBJ
serve that in circles usually well-in-
formed our view is shared Neyerthe- |
less, 1t is for the convention, and not |
for the press, to decide. While a
strike would be serious matter and |
would impose great hardship upon !
many persons, both among the strikers |
and throughout other circles in the |
region, it is noticeable that
The public hereabouts does not view the
possibility of%one with the same de-
gree OF apprehension as in the fall of
1900. Many hayecsbeen heard to say
during the past SIX Weeks that as be-
tween a siX-months strike, to be fol-
lowed by peace and freedom from fire.
quent disturbances of business, and
the indefinite prolongation of the un-
rest which has manifested itself since
Scranton became focus of labor poll
tics, they would prefer the former,
costly as ii might be. We think that
this sentiment is quite general.