The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-02
THE MEN SHOW ADORATION
Stand With Heads Barred
While Leader Speaks.
When Their National President Had
Concluded, the Miners Crowded :
Around Him and Shook His
Hands Until He Was
Exhausted.

Scranton, Pa, Aug. 1.-The first Of the
strikers mass meetings planned to taks
place at the various strike centers, was
held today in the Round Woods.
There were 1000 strikers present from
all parts of the city and the adjoining
towns.
National president John Mitchell, dis
trics president T. d. Nichol. district vices
president Adam R. Ryscavage, district
secretary John Dempsey, organizer Nor
TIM Memolo and subdistrict president
T. Phillips delivered addresses.
The crowd enthusiastically cheered all
the speakers and fairly went wild over
Mitchell. When he was introduced to
speak some one shouted Hats off" ana
although the suns rays beamed down so
intensely that many were carried from the
crowd exhausted, every man in the vast
assemhlage barred his head and remained
uncovered until his speech was concluded.
Then the crowd surged about the plat
form and shook his hands until he him.
self was almost exhausted.
Mr.. Mitchelfs speech was brief and
dealt only with the i've issues Of the
fight He said in part:
John Mitchell Speaks. y
'Tt has been said by some who are
not your friends that the miners Of the
Scranton Region are getting tired of the
strike and are about to return to work
/ come to find out IL this Is so. / want
to know II you are going to work. dis
honoring your organization and dishonor-
Ing yourselves"
Cries OF Never, neverl'' "No, nor
Don't you believe It," and the like.
III the strike is lost may God Almigh-
ty help the men, women and children
who depend for their subsistence on tho
mining Of antlracite coal. IL tho strike
Is lost you will pay the cost Of the strike.
II want to say that the anthracite
miners went on the strike themselves.
1t will never end until you vote 1t ended.
From the Offices of the coal presi-
dent In New York comes the declaration
that the strike will be settled only in their
own way Of settling II. l would direct
your attention to similar declarations
made in the 1900 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 coal trust. Ninety per
cent of the people have agreed that the
miners are right and the operators
wrong.
II understand there is some dissatis-
faction and misunderstanding about the
distribution of the relief fund The ope-
rators have sent men among you to urge
you to be dissatisfied Through the news
papers they have told you that you were
dissatisfied. We have sent circular to
all the locals which will explain In detail
the plans for distributing relief. We
70 70 mr.
will starve during the continuance Of the
strike. cloud cheers.)
Help Only for Helpless.
81 want to appeal to men with means
to refrain from applying for relief. Let
the fund be used by those who are in abb
solute need of help. Do your share OF
the work. II we are to win we must all
help.
''The one among you who violates the
law is the worst enemy you have. No
one is more pleased than the operators
In New York to hear Of disorder in the
coal regions. want our men to exer-
else their rights that ,nure to them un-
der the laws, hut l want that no man
shall transgress the laws.
THE strike will be won. Cloud and pro-
Ionged cheers). have no more doubt /
about it than I have that am standing /
here addressing you.
THE operators are trying to make 1t
appear that the strike is beginning to |
break up. fail to see any signs Of /
weakening here. daughter and APP
plause.)
III you win, which you surely will.
there will be no more strikes; there will
be a basis Of adjustment arrived at
which will prevent strikes.
"If you lose the operators will make
you pay for their strike losses by reduc-
ing your wages. And, IL you lose thS
strike you lose your organization
Before the handshalSing episode had be-
gun, Chairman Phillips asked all who ia
foYed a fight to a finish to raise their
hahds. Every hand went up.