Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-23

Wiliesbarre, Pa. Oct 21.-With shout
that fairly shook the convention building
the representatives of the 1900 mine
workers who have been on strike since
last May. officially declared off at noon
to-day the greatest contest ever waged
between capital and labor, and placed all
the questions involved in the struggle in
the hands of tho arbitration commission
appointed by the President of the United
states. When the news was flashed to the
towns and villages down in the valleys and
on the mountains Of the coal regions the
strike affected inhabitants heaved a sigh
Of relief. No more welcome news could
have beer received. Every where there
WAS rejoicing, and in many places the end
Of the strike was the signal for impromptu
town celebrations. The anthracite coal
regions from its largest city-Scranton-
down to the lowest coal patch has suffered
by the conflict. and everyone now looks
FOR better times.
The principal speech of the day was
made by National Secretary Treasurer
w. +. Wilson, who practically spoke for
President Mitchell and the national or
ganzation. In strong argument he
counselled the men to accept arbitration.
the very plan the strikers themselves had
offered, return to work and trust to the
Presidents tribunal to do them justice.
While the large army of mine workers
ana lutlT ltlUlIleS numbering dppTOSl-
mately half 4 million persons. are CRATE
full that work is to be resumed on Thurs
day the strikers have still to learn what
their reward will he.
President Roosevelt having taken
prompt action in calling the arbitrator
together for their first meeting on Friday
the miners hone they will know by
THANKSGIVING day what practical gain
they have made The vote to resume coal
mining vas q unanimous one and was
reached only after a warn. debate. The
principal objection to accepting the ar
filtration proposition was that no provi-
sion was contained in the scheme to take
care OF those men who would fail to get
back their old positions or would be I'M
able to get any work at all. The engi-
nocrs and pump men get better pay than
other classes of mine workers and they
did not wish to run the risk of losing
altogether their old places and be conf
PEELED 10 dig coal for living. This ques-
zion came up yesterday and was argued
right up to the time the vote was taken.
No one Lad a definite plan to offer to
overcome the objection and the report of
the committee on resolutions recommends
ing that the strike be declared off and
that all issues be placed in the hands of
The arbitration commission for decision
vas adopted without the question being
settled. a few moments before adjourn
ln'ut, llONtNcIi pdttl'ti SolullOll W d.
reached when n delegate in the farthest
corner of the hall moved that the prob
lem be placed in the hands of the exec
utive boards. for solution and his sugges
ton was adopted.
The question of taking care of all men
who will fail to get work Immediately
viii be a serious one for the union. There
Is no doubt the executive boards will take
care of the engineers. firemen and pump
men, but there will be thousands of other
classes of mine workers who also will
have to be looked after. In some places
hundreds will not be able to get work for
weeks, and in other localities where the
mines are in very bad condition there will
be no employment for many workmen for
some months. Now that the strike is over
the volume of relief money will decrease
and the local unions will be compelled to
call upon the national organization for
assistance when the money now on hand
runs out. With the close of the great
conflict will also end in a few days, prob
ably with the passage of this week, the
assessment now being levied on all blum
inOus mine workers affiliated with the
union. The officials who care to talk of
the situation feel confident that the ma
tional body WIN come to the assistance
and help all those who stood out during
the suspension.
Hundreds of men needed to repair the
mines and otherwise place them in condi-
ton for operation will be at work to-
morrow morning the convention having
decided that this was imperative in order
to get the men at work quickly and salts
fy the country's demand for coal. All the
locals will hold meetings tomorrow at
which instructions will be given the men,
bers regarding their application for work
SOME FRICTION EXPECTED.
The proceedings in the convention in
dictate that there will he some friction in
some of the local organizations over
many little questions which will come up
in connection with the men returning to
the mines
President Mitchell received many CON
gratulatory kilograms from all over the
country after the news spread that the
strike was ended On his return to head
quarters he was asked for an expression
of his views on the action of the con-
vention and in reply he said:
Il am well pleased with the action of
the anthracite mine workers in deciding
10 submit the Issues which eliminated
in the strike to the commission selected
by the President of the United States.
The strike itself has demonstrated
the power and dignity OF labor. Conser-
vative Intelligent trade unionsm has re-
ceived an impetus the effect of which
cannot be measured. / earnestly hope
and firmly believe that both labor and
capital have learned lessons from the
miners strike which will enable them to
adont peaceful. humane and business
methods OF adjusting wage differences in
the future"
STRIKE DECLARED OFF.
After Mr. Mitchell had notified President
Roosevelt of the action and had received
reply to the effect that the commission
would meet I'm Washington ON Friday. he
sent out the official announcement through
the press to the strikers that the strike