Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-17
THE Miners ACCEPT
EXECUTIVE BOARDS UNASIMoUsL1
RESOLVE TO RECOMMEND
ACCORDINGLY.
CONVENTION NEXT MONDAY.
Mining of Coal to Me Resumed about
Thursday.
STATEMENT FROM M1rcHE1A
He Ask. That the People of th<
Country Be Patient. ms the arina
workers Are Moving as Rapidly
as Their Interest, VIII Permit
Withdrawal of Troops Expected
OF Coal to ,Ie Resumed About
Thursday.


executive boards of three anthracite dis.
America. in joint session to-day. unani-
mously decided to recommend to dels.
gate convention OF striking miners the ac-
ceptance of the arbitration proposition,
submitted by the President of the Unirxd
States. and it is reasonably certain thai
the advice will be followed and the grsas
struggle brought to close. The convs.l.
ton will be convened in this city Monday
morning. and it is the hope and the belief
of the officers of the union that the min
Ing OF coal will be resumed before tha
close of next week. after a suspension Of
more than five months The citizens OF
the entire region are much elated that
the, strike is almost over. because busl-
ness in the coal fields has been practi.
cally paralyzed since the strike began.
Doubt About Miners Accepting Plan.
From the time the news was received
late last night until about 10 o'clock this
morning there was some doubt as to how
the miners would receive the modified
plan. President Mitchell was asked to
make some expression on the proposition.
but he steadfastly refused. He was
pressed by the correspondents for state
ment, and finally at 10 o'clock he cleared
up the situation by issuing the foltow:nEs
'.Wilkesbarre. Pa. October 16. 1902
"AppreciatinE the anxiety and mpati=
ence of the public and the mine workers
for some authoritative statement from
this office. issue this bulletin to say that
I was unalterably opposed to the accept
ance of or acquiescence in the form OF
settlement proposed by the coal opera tors.
because 1t restricted the President OF the
United States in making selection of the
men who were to determine the qlstions
involved in the coal strike. Thess re-
strctions having been removed. and rep
resentatien given to organized labor as
well as to organized capital. I am now
prepared to give my personal approval to
a settlement of the issues involved in this
strike by the commission selected by the
President. and shall recommend to the
executive officers of districts I. 7 and 9. In
their meeting to-day, that an immediate
call be issued for convention. whose
authorization is necessary to declare the
strike at an end.
TN the meantime I trust that the peo-
pie of our country will be as patient as
possible, as we are moving as rapidly as
Tie llileISStS VI OuI peODtt Will per itlit
"(Signed) JOHN MITCHELL.
President U. NJ. w. of A.
Glad Mitchell Was willing to Accept
When this was read to the arriving dis
trict leaders and groups OF miners who
came to headquarters to learn the news,
general satisfaction was expressed that
Mr.. Mitchell was willing to accept the
modified plan. and from that time on
there was no doubt that the strike would
be brought to speedy close.
Session of the District Boards.
1t was not until o'clock that the
thirty-seven members of the three district
boards were called into session
which lasted two hours and fifteen min
utes. There was some opposition mani
tested in the meeting to certain features
of the plan. but after full discussion os
the Objectionable parts. Il unanimous yora
was taken to recommend to the conven-
ton the acceptance of the proposition. AS
the conference was held behind closed
doors, and a bond of secrecy was placed
on every man present, the specific objec-
tions were not officially announced.
These are the same executive boards
which on May S last. ordered the strike
to begin, which action was approved, In
the face of Mr.. Mitchell's opposition by
the Hazelton convention few days later.
1t is expected that some objections will be
raised on the floor of the convention. but
the officers are confident that the opposi-
tion will disappear when President Mitch
ell explains all the features Of the modt-
fled proposition to the delegates.
Resumption Thursday.
II the plans of the strike leaders ar4
not disarrangcd a general resumption of
mining will take place about next Thurs
day It is expected the convention will
last two days, and that Their will be ar
interval of one day from the time the con-
veution adjourns until the time set for
the men to go back to the mines. II tha
should be in session on We'd
uesday. it is probable that resumption
will not take place until Friday. These
will not be enough work at first for all
the strikers as 1t is the intention OF the
not to dismiss non-union men
who have stood by them during the
strike The organization will take care
Of such other men as are unable 10 find
work.
The coal companies. anticipating the
ending of the strike next week. are busily
engaged preparing for resumption. Tens
OF thousands OF coal cars are In the re-
sions, ready for loading, and extra efforts
will be made in moving them TO the large
distributing centres. once mining is re-
sumed II is estimated that more than
200 Of the $50 co!lieries will be In opera
ton by the end OF next week. and will
produce enough coal to relieve the sitt-
c,o>-,rY>,r.r>r, o<.s cEvENTE3 pACEN