The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1902-10-23
go BACK TO WORK.
BY Unanimous Vote Miners Con
vention Decides to End Strike
Special to The Daily Herald.

shout that fairly shook the convention
building the Representatives Of the
$4,000 mine workers, who have been
on strike since last May, officially de-
clared off at noon Tuesday the great
est contest ever waged between cap
ital and labor, and placed all the CUES
tions involved in the struggle into the
hands Of the arbitration commission
appointed by the president OF the Uni
ted States. When. the news was
flashed to the towns and villages
down in the valleys and on the noun
tains of the coal regions the strike
affected inhabitants heaved sigh of
relief. Many days have gone by since
more welcome news was received.
Everywhere there was rejoicing, and
in many places the end of the strike
was the signal for impromptu cele-
brations. The anthracite coal re gions.
from its lirgest city--Scranton--
down to the lowliest coal patch, has
suffered by the conflict, and everyone
now looks for better times.
While the large army of mine work
ers and their families, numbering ap-
proximately half million, persons,
are grateful that work is to be re.
sumed on Thursday, the strikers have
still to learn what their reward will
be. President Roosevelt having TAX
en- prompt action in calling the arbi-
traitors together for their first meet
ing on Friday the miners hope they
will know by Thanksgiving day what
practical gain they have made.
Vote Was Unanimous.
The vote to resume coal mining was
an unanimous one, and was reached
only after warm debate. The prin-
cipal objection to accepting the arbi-
tration proposition was that no pro-
vision was contained in the scheme
to take care of those men who would
fail to get back their old positions or
would be able to get any work at all.
The engineers and pumpnen get bet
ter pay than other classes of mine
workers, and they did not wish to run
the risk of losing altogether their old
places and be compelled to dig coal
for a living. This question came up
Monday. and was argued right up to
the time the vote was taken. No one
had definite plan to offer to over
come the objection, and the report of
the committee on resolutions, recon-
mending that the strike be declared
off and that all issues be placedlin the
hands of the arbitration for decision,
was adopted without the question be-
ing settled. A few moments before
adjournment, however, partial solu-
tion was reached when delegate in
the farthest corner of the hall moved
that the problem be placed in the
hands of the executive boards for so
luton, and his suggestion was
adopted.
The Resolutions.
Following are the resolutions adopt
ed:
1--WE, the committee on resolutions,
beg leave to recommend that the fol-
lowing communication be adopted and
forwarded to Theodore Roosevelt, pres
ident Of the United States of America.
"Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct. 81, 1907
Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, Washington,
D. C.-Dear Sir: We, the representa-
tives of the employees of the various
coal companies engaged in operating
mines in the anthracite coal fields of
Perlsylvania, in convention assem-
bled, having under consideration your
telegram of October Is, 1902, addressed
to John Mitchell, president of the
United Mine Workers of America,
which reads as follows:
:" I have appointed as commissioners
Brig. Gen. John H. Wilson, E. w. Park
err Judge George Gray, E. f. Clark.
Thomas II. Watkins, Bishop j. L. SpaId-
ing, with Carroll ID. Wright as record
er, These names are accepted by the
operators, and now earnestly ask and
urge that the miners likewise accept
this commission 1t is matter of
vital concern to all our people, and es-
pecially to those in our great cities,
who are least we'll off, that the mining
of coal should be resumed without
moments unnecessary delay
eve have decided to accept the
proposition therein embodied, and sub
nit all questions at issue between the
opera tors and mine workers of the an
thracite coal region for adjustment to
the commission which you have named.
"In pursuance of that decision, we
shall report for work on Thursday
morning, October %, in the positions
and working places occupied by us
prior to the Inauguration Of the strike
.We have authorized John Mitchell,
president of the United Nine Workers
or America, with such assistants as he
may select, to represent us in ali hear
ings before the committee.
(Signed) John Mitchell, Chairman OF
Convention.
"W. B. Wilson, Secretary Of Conven-
ton"
The principal speech Of the day was
made by National Secretary-T Treasurer
w. B. Wilson, who practically spoke
for president Mitchelland the national
organization. In a strong argument
he counseled the men to accept arbi-
tration. the very plan tie strikers
themselves had offered, return to
work aud trust to the presidents tri-
bunsl to do them justice.