The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-09-16

conference committee Of the Peoples
Alliance, appointed at their convention
at HazIeton last Thursday, appeared
before Governor Stone his afternoon
and submitted a plan for effecting a
settlement of the anthracite coal strike.
Their plan consists of calling an extra
session of the Legislature to enact laws
for compulsory arbitration, better con-
troll of foreign corporations doing bust
ness in Pennsylvania n enforcing the
sixteenth and seventeenth articles of
the constitution.
Article sixteen makes it unlawful for
any operator or superintendent to en-
ploy any person as fire boss who has
not obtained Il certificate of cOmpeten-
cy, and article seventeen prohibits any
boy, under Il years of age, or a woman
from working in a coal mine and also
prohibits a boy under 16 pears of g
from running or loading coal.
Daniel L. Mccarthy, of Hazeiton,
said the alliance represented the bust
ness people of the hard coal districts
and that its purpose was to secure a
settlement of the strike. There was no
sign of a settlement and the only hope
of bringing about an end to the strike
is an extra session OF the Legislature
for the enactment of the leg!slaTi zion that
will end the present strike and prevent
strikes in the future. Mr.. Mccarthy
suggested that if an extra. session is
held some action should he taken to
curb the great foreign corporations,
which are doing business IL PennSylva-
mia. He attacked the beef trust, the
steel trust and other large corporations,
because of the alleged high prices
which they charge for their products.
Mr.. Mccarthy further said: President
Baer, of the Philadelphia and Reading
Company, is the creatuTa of j. p. Nor
gan, and the latter should be forced to
compel Mr.. Baer to arbitrate the strike.
a load of coal can not be bought in the
coal region at present from The large
coal companies at any price. II the leg
islation is enacted, which the alliance
recommends, it will bring the strike to
an end and reven strikes in the fu-
ture."
Mr.. Mccarthy argued that h present
difficulty in the cOal region comes
through the gross mlsmanagement of
the great coal corporations. None of
these corporations" he SAID. pays a
dividend, while the Individual opera
tors are all making money and getting
rich. Relief can be granted he con-
tinued, by enacting Legislation that
Will enforce the sixteenth and seven
teenth articles of the state cOnstitu-
ton"
Addresses were made by other men,
bers of the committee along the same
lines, all urging remedial legislation.
The governor said he was glad to hear
from the alliance, and expressed his
qualification on hearing the views of the
speakers. He made TO comment on
their remarks.
Npu- Work Snntanhn~ -Ahram -
Hewitt, former a Of New York,
ave out a statement today in which he
said he knew positively that J. p. Nor
gan would not interfere in the coal
strike. Mr.. Hewitt also said hat the
coal operators would not agree to arbi-
trate with John Mitchell. but that he
believed they would consider grievances
presented by their employees. Il don't
altogether blame MIR. Mitchell for
bringing on the strike" he said. Mr..
Mitchell advised against the strike.
When he called the convention at
Shamokin he thought he would be able
10 control it and show that q big fell
low he was. but those young fellows
came i'm and wanted the strike and the
convention got beyond MitChelrs con-
troll. Then he called the Indianapolis
convention. He told the anthracite
miners that he would ask the bitumi-
nous miners TO go on a sympathetic
strike. He did so and they refused.
Mr. Mitchell in public cIamors for arbi-
tratiOn. but Goes he want arbitration?
What Mr.. Mitchell wants is recognition
for himself. Mr.. Mitchell is fighting for
his very life. but there will be no recog-
milton of Mr.. Mitchell on the part of the
operators and no arbitration between
the operators and Mr.. Mitchell. 1t was
Mr. Mitchell who destroyed the princi-
pie of arbitration in the coal fields. The
operators are willing ana ready to -ad-
ust any grievances by concessions or
otherwise with their own employees, but
they will have nothing TO do with Mr..
Mitchell. That is positive"
Wilkesbarre. Pa, September 1.-Pres-
ident Mitchell completed arrangements
today for a flying trip 10 Philadelphia
and Harrisburg. At s o'clock tomorrow
morning he will meet a committee from
the state legislative board of railway
employees in Pennsylvania. and at 3
o'clock in the afternoon he will leave
for Philadelphia, where he will address
the United Labor Councils of that city.
On Saturday morning lie will start for
Harrisburg, where he will hold a con-
ference with Governor Stone. He ex-
pectS to return to Wilkesbarre Satur-
day evening
George W. Purcell, national board
member from Indiana, who has been in
West Virginia for some time past. ar
rived in town tonight He a a con-
ference with President Mitchell. He
said the strike in the New River dis
trict. West Virginia, was progressing
~favorably to the miners. Several oper-
ators lad granted the demands Of the
men and he claimed it would only be a
short time until all the ether operators
followed suit.
H. Gaylord Wiltshire, the we'll known
socialist, was closeted with Mr.. Mitchell
Tor some time this evening Mr.. Will
SHIRE Is Of the opinion that unless the
strike Is settled in short time there will
be a social revolution in the country.
me o1lclals of the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna n Western Company claim
the output of GAL at their mines and
washeries was larger today than any
day since they resumed operations. The
report is discredited at strike head
quarters.