Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-10-24
STRIKE DECLARED OFF.
MINE WORKERS VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TO
RETURN TO WORK THURSDAY.

RETURN TO WORK THURSDAY.
President Mitchell to Act as Miners Repre-
sentative Before the Roosevelt Commission
Result Reached After Two Days Delibera
ton in Convention at Wilkesbarre- 0nl,
Directors to Proposed Settlement Engineer
Whose Places Are Now Held by Non-Unior
Men-Commission All Ready for Work
The United Mine Workers conven
ton at Wilkesbarre, Pa. Tuesday
unanimously accepted the arbitration
proposition. declared the strike off.
and agreed to return to work Thursday.
Resolutions recommending that a com
m~unication be sem to President Roose-
welt. informing him that the conven-
ton had accepted the arbitration pro
uosal were unanimously accepted and
President Mitchell was authorized &c
act as the Mine Workers representa-.
tive before the commission. Much JOY
was manifested among the miners over
the result. The pump men. under the
plan made, were TO 90 to work Wednes-
dav and the mining of coal start at !
q CLOCK luulSNdN. FlbItN ubhA N-SNN
to President Mitchell, at WilkeSbarre.
were distributed among the delegates,
with instructions that all pay envel-
opes, due bills, statements Of wages,
and anything that may help the miners
in their case before the commission be
sent to him, The convention closed
with the singing of My Country, lis
of Thee lust to show that We are
law-abiding citizens, and with three
cheers for John Mitchell.
The anxiously awaited convention of
the 141, 600 striking miners met at
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Monday, G62 dele
gates being present, empowered by the
local unions to cast SCI votes on Presl-
dent Roosevelt's proposition. Most of
the delegates We're uninstructed. the
few who were being engineers, fire
men and pumpmen. who fear that the
1900 strikers of those branches of
work may not get back their old places
now held by non-union men. This
question of the engineers, tiremen and
pumpmen proved the only stumbling
block in the way of almost immediate
adoption of the presidents plan and
caused discussion which put the final
vote over until Tuesday. Mr.. Mitchell
presided over the convention and in an
eloquent speech laid the presidents
proposition before the delegates, advo-
eating its adoption. He promised that
the union, so far as it vas able, would
take care of those who were not taken
back with the rest of the strikers and
later the convention decided to leave
that matter in the hands of the eXecu
tive boards of the three districts. Dur
ing Mr.. Mitchell's address to the con-
v"ention he said to the miners:
Language is inadequate to express
the sense of pride | feel in you and
those you represent, Your noble de-
fence of the principles of unionism en-
dears you to every mar and every wo-
man in our land who works for liveli-
hood. When the history of the strug-
gle of toilers shall be written. its pages
will record no event more important,
no principle more ably defended. no
battle more b~ravely fought. than the
contest which | earnestly hope is now
about to be happily ended. = = 1t is
a source of deep regret that millions of
underpaid workmen in our great cities
should be the most acute sufferers by
reason of this contest between our
selves and our employers but. strange
it may appear, hundreds upon hun
dreds of those who suffered most from
lack of fuel sent words of commenda-
ton and encouragement to us, de-
that they would endure any pri-
in order that the miners and
their families might secure sufficient
wages to enable them TO enjoy a little
happiness and sunshine instead of
gloom and sadness which has been
their lot for many years. The debt of
gratitude we our fellow-workers
in this and other lands. the debt of
gratitude we owe the generous public
and the friendly persons who have sup
ported and sustained us during this
memorable strike can never he entirely
For u opponents. We enter
tain no feelings of malice" He then
reviewed the features of the PROPOSE
ton submitted, making a strong plea
for its acceptance.
Upon receipt of a telegram from the
convention Tuesday afternoon, an
nouncing the end of the coal strike,
President Roosevelt summoned the ar
bitration commission TO meet mt Wash
today. Oct. 81. at 10 O'Clock and
notified Nh. Mitchell. The news of
the end of the strike has already low
cred the prices of fuel considerably.
coal is expected TO sell for $40 in
New York next week.