Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-02
STRIKERS IN MASS MEETING
Thousands Of Anthracite Miners Attend
First Outdoor Session Held
PRESIDENT MITCHELL MAKES ADDRESS
Many walk Miles 70 Attend Meeting
aand Cheer those who Make
Speeches iE Their
Behalf .

SCRANTON. Pa. Aug. 1.-The fret Of the
strikers mass meetings planned to take
place At the various strike centers was held
today in the Round Woods. There we're
1000, strikers present from all parts Of the
city and the adjoining towns. some locals
having marched -four miles to the meeting,
headed by a band OF drum corps, carrying
fiaes and banners, National President John
Mitchell and eevsral Of the district officials
delivered addresses. The crowd enthusi-
a~stically oheered- all the speakers and fairly
went Wild over Mitchell. When he was In
trodueed TO speak someone shouted: Hats
on" and although the suns rays beamed
down so intensely that many were carried
from the crowd exhausted, every man In the
vast aesemblage barred his head and re-
NAMED uncovered until his speech was con-
eluded. Then the crowd surged about the
platform and shook his hands until Mr..
Mitchell was almost exhausted.
Mr. Mitchell's speech was brief and dealt
only with the live issues Of the fight. He
said, in parts:
II has been said by some who are not
your friends thai the miners OF the Scren-
ton region are getting tired Of the strike
and are about to return to work. i come 70
md put II this is 50: l want 90 b nnST
your, organisation and dishonoring your,
selves? (Cries OF "Neverl Never" mo!
IL this strike is lost, May God Almighty
help the men, women and children who de-
pend for their subsistence on the mining of
anthracite coal. If this strike is lost you
will pay the cost of the strike.
l want to say that the, ANTHRACITE miners
went on strike themselves. they votea
the United Mine Workers union who called
the strike. IL will never end until yo1
vote IT ended. .
Question of settlement.
From the ofHces of the coal presidents in
New York comes the declaration that the
strike will he settled only in their wi way
Of settling 1t. ] would direct you attention
to similar declarations made In the 1890
strike. The coal trust may be powerful
and strong, but the American people whose
hearts throb In sympathy with the miners
cause are stronger than the eoai tIusI Inc
upon this conflict. They heard OF the
miners requests for betterment of condi-
heard Of the gniners' proposition to arbi-
trate and the operators refusal; Ninety
per cent OF the people ave agreed that The
l understand there is some dissatisfac-
ton and misunderstanding about the distrl-
have sent met among you to urge you TO be
dissatisfied Through the newspapers they
have told you that you were dissatis;
the locals which Will explain in detail the
plans for distributing relief. and l trust
% " dis soS Rset y re ana thS6s isv Ta5I 1e an sna
While We have not get millions. We have
during the continuance of the strike. cloud
i want to appeal to men with means to
refrain from applying for relief. Let the
fund be used by those who are in absolute
reed Of help. Be patient with your com-
mittees. Put your shoulder to the wheel
and do your share OF the work. Don't de-
bend altORether on VOlr officers IN win y6tIr
hght. II we are to win we must all help.
The one among you who violates the law
more pleased than the operators in New
York to hear OF disorder In the coal re-
gions want our men to exercise their
rights that inure to them under the laws,
but l want that no man shall transgress
the laws.
says Strike Will BE Won.
The strike will be won. loud and pro-
longed eheersl / have no more doubt
ABOUT - thar have that 1 am standing
The operators are trying to make it APP
pear that the strike is, beginning to break
come from afar can lie with, impunity. At
hamok the operators tell the strikers
to work. At Wilkesbarre they tell them the
other places they tell them the m nea at
scranton are weakening. / fail to see any
signs OF weakening here. daughter and APP
This is possibly the last time I every will
talk 70 you; l want you to listen to me. |
want to impress on you the Importance of
winning this strike; II you win, as you
strikes; there VIII be a basis of adjust
ment arrived at which VIII prevent strikes.
g2n lose the strike, the operators will
du9ing your wages. And IL you lose the
strlkS you lose your organization. / trust
and constantly pray you will
- g roy old In 1900. Cheers and cries
$50
Before the handshaking episode had be-
gun Chairman Phillips asked all who IA
yorsd . hight to a finish to raise their hands.
Every hand went up.
Tyenty-hve years ago today, August /.
1877 lQsDO0 striking miners, who had been
out Tor six months, met at this same Round
WOODS IN almost the Identical spot where
today's meeting was held. and with uplifted
hands avoFed that they would not return
20 work until their demands were granted.
That afternoon occurred the memorable riot
on LAckawanna avenue, when a company OF
hastily formed vigilants killed two men.
nred upon a procession made up OF strikers
from this and another mass meeting who J
were bent upon burning breakers and who |
had nearly killed Mayor MeKune when he |
tried to halt them. A week later the miners
went back to work without gaining any con-
cessions and with their union disrupted.
As a precaution against a possl. = disorder
q big squad OF police Vas kept In reserve
at Headquarters and twenty patrolmen were
stationed in the neighborhood Of the Oxford
coiliery. which has resumed operations and
which was almost within sight Of the mass
meeting.
PERU CABINET TO RESIGN