Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-22
COAL STRIKE IS OFF,
ARDITRATroN PLAN ADOPTED ny
UNANIMOUS VOTE WITH
APPLAUSE.
THE PRESIDENT NOTIFIED.
He Immediately Summoned the Com
mission to Meet Friday.
WORK OF THE ARB1rRAToRs.
Aftcr the Board Has Organized the
Members VIII Call Upon Roosc-
Welt in Body-He Will. Probably
Give Them Some Verbal Instruc-
tion~-Like1y That Sessions VIII
De Open to the Pup1ic.
Dc Open to the Puplic.

WILKEsBARRE, PA. October Il
vention building, the representatives Of
the III, 900 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 N
the struggle into the hands of the aribtra-
ton commission appointed by the Presi-
dent 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. Many days have gone by since
more welcome news was received. Every
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 lowliest coal
patch, has suffered by the conflict. and
every one now looks for better times.
Still to Learn Their Reward.
While the large army of mine workers
and their families, numbering approXi-
mately half million persons, are grateful
that work is TO be resumed on Thurs
day. the strikers have still to learn what
their reward will be. President Roosevelt
having taken prompt action in calling the
srbitratorS together for their first meet
ing on Friday, the miners hope they Will
know by Thanksgiving Day what practical
gains they have made
The Vote Unanimous.
The vote to resume coal mining was
unanimous. and was reached only after
warm debate. The principal obJechon 10
accepting the arbitration proposition was
that no proposition was contained III the
scheme TO take care of those men VINO
would fail to get back their old:posltlons
or would be unable to get any work at all.
The engineers and pump men get better
pay than other. classes of mine workers,
and they did not care to run the risk CT
losing altogether their old places and be
compelled to dig. coal for living. ANS
question came up yesterday, ana was az
gued right up TO the time the vote was
taken. No one had definite plan to
offer TO overcome the objection, and the
report Of the committee on resolutions
recommending that the strike be declared
off and that all issues be placed III the
hands Of the arbitration commission Tor
decision, was adopted without the oues-
ton being settled.
A Partial Solution.
A few moments before adjournment.
however. partial solution was reached
when a delegate in the farthest corner OF
the hall moved that the problem be placeo
in the hands of the three executive boards
for solution, and his suggestion was
adopted.
The principal speech of the day was
made by National Secretary Treas
nrer W. B. Wilson. who practically spoke
for President Mitchell and the national
organization. In a strong argument ne
counselled the men to accept aroltraCon-
the very plan the strikers themselves had
offered-return to work. and trust TO the
Presidents tribunal to do them justice
Taking Care of Men.
The question of taking care of all men
who will fail to get work lmmedlatelE VIII
be a serious one for the union Ihere Is
no doubt the executive boards will take
care OF the engineers, flremen ana pump
men, but there are thousands OF other
classes of mine workers who 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 en-
,,lovment for many Workmen Tor some
months.
Hundreds of men, needed to repair the
mines and otherwise place them IN coiui-
ton for operation, will be at WORK 10
morrow morning, The convention having
decided that this was imperative IN order
1o get the men at work quickly and salts
rv the country's demand for coal All the
locals will hold meetings tomorrow at
which instructions will be given the mem
bers regarding their application for work.
Mitchell Congratulated.
President Mitchell received many con-
-rat,,l.t tory telegrams from all over the
country after the news spread .that the
strike was ended. On his return to mead
Quarters he was asked for an expression
of his views on the motion OF the con-
vention, and in reply he said:
Labor and Capital Learned Lessons.
"I am we'll pleased with the action OF
the anthracite mine workers III deciding 10
submit the issues which eliminated IN
tha strike to the commission selected by
the President of the United States. Inc
strike itself has demonstrated the power
and dignity of labor Conservative. lntel-
lisent trade unionisn has received an I'M
net1s. the effect of which cannot be meas
ured / earnestly hope and firmly believe
that both labor and capital have learned
lessons from the miners strike which will
enable them to adopt peaceful, humane
and business methods of adjusting wage
differences in the future
Official announcements.
After Mr.. Mitchell had notified President
Roosevelt of the action of the convention,
he sent out the official announcement
through the press to the strikers that the
strike was off. 1t was addressed to al
miners and mine workers in the anthra-
cite region, and contained caution 10
those resumins work to exercise more
than usual care in order that accidents 10
life and limb may be arerted, owing to
the condition Of the wines after long DIS
use.
The question OF ending the strike came
ND in the convention in the form OF re-
port from the committee on resolutions,
as follows:
REMARKS soF COAL OPERATORS.