The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-11
John MafkIe Says the Men Must Come Back to Work
 At OId Terms.
SAYS JOHN MITCHELL
 HAS CAUSED DISCORD
There VIII Be No Arbitration, Ne Compromise Nor Aereement-Tha Men Must Simply Return
 to the Mines.

New York. September 1O.-Mr. John Markle, the head of the firm of c. B. Markle & Co. the largest of the individ- ual coal operators in the anthracite field. today made a statement respecting the proposed arbitration between the employ CTS and the employees.
 There will be no arbitration said Mfr. Markle "and no settlement of the coal strike in any way. We have not forgotten our experiences on a former occasion. There had been in existence from 1885 an agreement with the men in our employ providing for the settlement, in an ami cable way. of all differences that arose by arbitration. This was the result of a local strike in 1885. Tn 1884, notwithstand- ing the existence of this contract for arr bitration, the men deliberately broke their agreement and went on strike, which lasted six months Yet we re-established the arbitration agreement after 1t was over and went on. In 1897 there was a widespread strike in the Lehigh region. but our men stood by their agreement and never lost days work. In 1900 John Mitchell appeared and began a campaign on our property. Our employees presented a list of grievances, and I replied to them and suggested that if our answers were not satisfactory they could demand ar- bitration under the existing agreement. MT. Mitchell distinctly opposed any ar bitration, asserting that we were insin- cere-
 Father Phillips Urged Honesty.
 Father Phillips, a well-known priest lrq ,wIr .f Lt- the men to abide by their compact, and suggested Archbishop Ryan of Philadel- 1 phia as the third arbitrator. MT. Mitchell opposed all of this, saying that 1t was bluff. A meeting of our employees was held to which MT. Mitchell came unsolicited and made a speech. He asked me publicly if l would abide by the arbitrators' yer dict, and when I said we would. he turned to the audience and pleaded with them, nevertheless, to go upon a strike. Father Phillips and I followed him, urging the men to stand by their agreement for ar bitration, and the men refused to follow Mitchelrs lead. Then came a round of threats, intimidation and violence. AL most daily rioting parties of several hun dred men appeared on our property, leu l ny AalbCHtl HeulcuA0lS Tn the Valn eI- 1 fort to compel our men to break their | agreement They began a reign of terror, which finally resulted in the employees breaking their compact and throwing the projected arbitration to the winds
 'The Hon. Marcus A. Hanna came into the dispute and secured some conces- sions. The strike ended and 1t was her. aided as a triumph for Mitchell. Work was resumed under these conditions on October 29 1900. The result has been the establishment of every kind of trades union in the coal district. From that time on there have been innumerable strikes. Mitchell has become demi-god and alone Is obeyed so that all ordinary and usual means of discipline are prac- tically disregarded.
 With this history before us, I am sure no reasonable man will ask us to engage in any arbitration with Mir. Mitchell or his immediate followers.''
 Men Must Come Back. President Fowler of the New York, On- tario and Western Railroad company. said today:
 The strike will end when the men come back of their accord and on the terms on which they worked before the outbreak of the strike. In no other man. ner can the strike be ended. We wilh brook no outside interference of what ever nature, political, humanitarian or of any other origin. When the men go back 1t will be at the wages and on the conditions obtaining last spring. After | they have returned we will take ap any | grievances with our own men. We have posted notices to that effect on our col- l lieriee.'
 President Oliphsnt of the Delaware and Hudson said that if he was well informed and he thought he was--there would be no interference on the part of MT. Mor- gan MT. Oliphant said no outside infiu- ence would be needed and that the strike would continue until the miners grew tr