Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-10-25

ing to remedy and to instruct you as
to your duty concerning them. Eight
days later they again appeared before
you, dropping the commonplace judge,
and proposing TO abide by the verdict
Of a tribunal appointed by you, but at
tempting to describe within a ixed and
narrow limit the character n voca-
ton Of the men you were to name. 10
his proposition as the operators made
1t we were unalterably opposed.
But now that you have yourself re-
moved the objections, by broadening
and strengthening the conditions we
feel confident u convention will de-
clare its willingness to have the ques-
tons between the employing compan-
les and 95 per cent of their employees,
members of our organization, deter
mined by the board Of eminent and i'm
| partial men chosen by you. We feel
grateful to you for the patriotic efforts
which you have made to bring about
an honorable settlement OF the strike;
efforts which o continued despite the
remarkable spirit and which
YOU at first found in the company man.
ayers. We were in a position to SYM
pathize with you, inasmuch as we have
long been forced to endure arrogance,
| insults and false witness from the same
source. Our gratitude is due to you, to
the American people, and the press
who have supported you n us in the
long struggle which we hope Is about to
| close.
IF our proffer of arbitration or i'm
partial investigation had'been accepted
six months age instead of now there
need have been no strike. We have
been eager to respond to the peoples
demand for coal. During the strike
we have more than once offered arbi-
t~ration, but have invariably been met
with the reply: We will not permit
outsiders to dictate to us in the man
agement Of our affairs. We have moth
ing to arbitrate.' Now that the man
ayers of the companies nave been COM
PEELED by you and n thoroughly aroused
public conscience to recede from this
position, we appeal to them now as
we have from the first to cooperate
with us in an effort to establish better
relations between employers n en-
ployes for the advantage of both. we
forgive them their arrogant refusal 10
deal with us, and in his hour, when
they are forced to acknowledge their
inability to operate their mines with
out our consent and cooperation, we
hold out the right hand Of fellowship
and ask them to join us In securing
amicable relations n wholesome con-
ditions in this region. We forgive them
even the false accusations which they
have made against US.
THE pretense OF the operators that
they were unable to produce coal be-
cause intimidation kept from work
men who were willing to work has been
proven false by the fact that the pro-
lection which they demanded has de-
creased rather than increased the
number of men mining coal. A hun
dred thousand troops could not nave
enabled the operators to start their
mines, for the simple reason that the
men who worked them are members OF
the United Mine Workers, men who
were determined to stand to the last
for their right to organize, and through
their organization to demand better
wages and improved conditions Of en-
ployment.
THE recognition of our strength,
forced upon the operators by stern
necessity, we exult over, not in any
narrow spirit, but because we believe
IT marks a forward step towards a new
era. Upon the foundation laid through
this war, we are ready to join with
them in building for better conditions
and a long and lasting peace"