The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-24
Candid Comment
Hbout the Strike
From the Philadelphia Ledger.

IN RESIDENT MITCHELL has had q
r. reputation for sagacty and moder'
alton as strike leader that is
greatly injured by the issuance OF
the order to engineers, tiremen and pump
| men to strike on June ., unless they shall
be given twelve hours pay for eight hours
work. The order was Issued at the in
stance of the executive committees of dis
tricts Nos. /. Z and 9; but as these COM
mittees act upon the advice Of President
| Mitchell, 1t is proper to treat 1t as his or
der. The calling ont of the engineers,
| tiremen and pumpmen is Il powerful
means of coercion. for it threatens the de-
struction of much valuable property.
| Heretofore it has been considered neces-
sary and right that property should be
kept in condition, so that the strikers
could return to work at will. But this
order. If obeyed by the men, would close
| the mines against them for a long time,
and wholly destroy some of them, unless
| the operators should succeed in employ
ing non-union men to take the places of
| the strikers. Previous experience tells us
| that the attempt to substitute non-union
| for union men would lead to acts of vio-
| lence and compel the calling out of the
| militia, and that would result in the de-
| feat of the strikers. For in any conflict
that may arise. no matter what its remote
| cause may he. public sympathy will be
law and order The striking miners, If
they should resort to violence, would de-
prlve themselves of that most potent sup
port-popular sympathy.
'Disregarding any feeling that one may
have for OF against the striking miners
or the operators. the issuance OF this or
der is Il mistake 1t purports TO be 'in
accordance with the well established prn-
ciples of the United Mine Workers of
America to protect and preserve the prop
critics of the coal operators" but in this
Is disingenious, for 1t provides for protect
ing the properties only upon condition
that the operators recognize the union by
granting the demand of the Shamokin
conventiOn-that engineers, tiremen and
prmpmen shall I've required to work only
eight hours Il day and receive the same
pay therefor as they now get for twelve
hours In other words, the operators. to
save their mines from damage or destruc-
tion by flooding, must grant this demand
made by the union. not by their individ-
ual employees which is the chief point of
the miners strike), or else they must seek
non-union help to take the place of those
who abandon the engines and pumps.
They Will, of course, endeavor to save
their property, and equally. of course,
they will claim the right to save 1t in
their own way, with any help they can
procure. Interference with non union
men by the strikers or their sympathizars
will lead to riots the sheriff will he called
upon to preserve the peace and, If he
should be unable to do so. the military will
have to he called out. That its the in
evitable history of all such strikes. and
the action of Mr., Mitchell and the eXeci-
tive committees consulting with him
promises to bring about the climax within
ten days The committees of the strikers
presumably acted on the assumption that
the operators would yield at once to their
demands, but II they should not Yield.
then the miners would suffer as mlcn as
the operators by any nominal success
they might gain. If they should succeed
In closing down the pumps, they would
deprive themselves of work for months
to come. They could not resume WORK at
will, but would have to await the slow
process of pumping out the mines and
preparing them for mining operations.
Nothing could be more fatuous than this
order, and 1t Is wholly unlike the general
ly sagacious and conservative policy hith-
erto pursued by Mr., Mitchell.