The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-11
The Operators May Post Notices of
10 Per Cent Advances, Ignor-
ing the Union. ~
President Mitchell Calls This {
Bungling Way of Making
Surrender.
The politicians Said to Have Made
the Mistake of Making Too
Many Threats.
Ma, Yorh S,s,, SDecinL SerrSco

q New York special TO the Necolu-I1ei
AID reviewing Fridays developments IN
the coal strike says: Resumption of
mining in the anthracite region IS now
promised at an early date. Senators
Platt and Quay and Governor Odell ana
not succeed in getting a proposition from
the presidents Of the coal railways yester~
day as they had hoped. President Mitch
ell and his associates left town last night
without having made any apparent prog
ress toward settlement. OutWardly It
looks as If the efforts which the politicians
have been making have come to naught
and the fight is to go on to the bitter emu.
Morgan and Cassatt.
But inside information Of trustworthy
character indicates that underneath the
surface forces are at work which will
soon compel the resumption OF operations
by means Of concessions to the miners
The decisive move may be made In rev
days, and 1t may be deferred for week
or more. But within comparatively
short time the strike is to be brought to
an end 1t is to be ended because the two
men who control the stua tom. 4. Nor
gan and A. J. Cassatt-have so willed.
That these two men have taken hold
of the problem and that they are now
working together toward a common end
there can be no doubt. The method which
they will adopt in carrying out their pur-
pose and the rapidity with which they
will move are their secrets
It would surprise none OF the we'll IN
formed men in railroad and financial cir.
cles if on Monday morning next. or pos
sibly the following Monday morning, no.
tlces were to be found posted at all the
collieries inviting the men to resume
work at an advance Of 10 per cent over
the old wages. and with a promise to
take up and adjust all grievances at each
of the mines.
How to Break the Strike.
This method of bringing about a re-
sumption of work is advocated by some
of the company managers. The adVan-
tages Of this plan that 1t would prop
ably start the men at work without any
dealings whatever with President Mitchell
or the union. OF course, it would be an
unsatisfactory settlement. 1t would leave
all the old sores open, and in short time
they would be sure to break out In new
troubles. The union would be there, I'M
recognized, not held responsible for peace
or discipline. and local strikes would sure
ly ensue. But there Is little doubt that
It would solve the immediate problem
Of how to resume operations OF the mines.
There is of course, a possibility that
If the corporations adopt this method OF
breaking the strike they may reckon
without the union. 1ntimatiOns were
made to President Mitchell yesterday that
the sudden termination Of the negotia-
lions without result was due to the de-
termination of the managers to go over
the heads Of Mr.. Mitchell and the other
union officers instead of making direct
offer to the union. Mr.. Mitchell told the
men who made this suggestion that he
was not sure the miners would thus per-
NIT the strike to be broken. He said the
strike could be called off only by dele
gate convention and the men might not
vote to return to work in that way.
A RuneIing Way.
Mr.. Mitchell made the countersugg
ton that this was bungling way for the
corporation managers to make their sur
render. OF course, a concession of in
crease Of wages would be moral victory
for the organization and for the men. Blu
1t would be far better for the companies
looking at the matter from their owl
standpoint, to sign an agreement with the
organization which would provide the ma
chinery for settling all disputes and holt
the union responsible for the maintenance,
of discipline and stable labor conditions.
Tho probabilities are, however, that
the companies post notices granting al
increase Of wages the union will hail tina
as victory, accept it for what it il
worth and leave to the future the question
of recognition and agreements.
Politicians Are chaerlned.
Senators Plat and Quay and Governo
Odell are much chagrined over the failur
Of their efforts to bring about a settle
ment Thursday night they believed wit
soma reason, that there was a fair chanc
the company managers would yesterda
make a proposal. They had succeeded i
getting Messrs. Cassatt and Morgan to
gether and in securing the attendance a
their conference of all the railway presi
dents excepting Mr.. Baer. This was
good deal to achieve and gave ground &c
hope.
Too Many Threats.
But the politicians overplayed the
hands They made too many threats as
What they might do with the Pennsylvani
and New York legislatures and New Yor
board of aldermen. One Of Mr.. Morgan
associates said:
"Cassatt and Morgan are not men to i
moved by threats
The senators and governor were unfol
tunate also in that they associated wit
themselves as active promoters Of the Ell
terprise a man named Lamar, who is e,
Gee dngly offensive to Wall street mas
mates because Of the number Of 'strikir
suits he has instituted, and Edward La,
terbach, the politician and lawyer, WI
for similar reasons has fallen under tt
displeasure of 1.-The big people, The pre-
ence of these two men in the negotiation
and the incautious methods adopted
Plat and Quay in threatening too violent
what they would do if their wishes We
not acceded to made it virtually impossib