Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-06
THE COAL MINERS.

The miners in the bituminous coal-felds
Of West Virginia and Virginia, who have
been on q strike, have practically sur
rendered, and will return to work on Mon
day.
II. the Pennsylvania anthracite coal re-
gicn that strike continues. but the coal
companies which have put non-union men
20 work are increasing their daily output;
though the aggregate is in ridiculous
disproportiou to the quantity needed by
railroad and steamboat companies facto-
lies. hotels and private houses In many
cities bituninous coal is being used in
ppen violation of the ordinances. Such
ordinances always have been disregarded
10. some extent, but are now, in many
Eases. treated as if they did not exist.
The price Of anthracite coal now makes
1t advantageous to import it from Wales,
md one single order for S,oOe tons is
being filled there; but importers feel COM
peIIed to move cautiously, fearing that
The settlement Of the strike will confront
them with a falling market. The Phila-
delpha School Board has ordered its win
er supply Of anthracite from Wales.
There are two opinions as to the reply
President Baer recently gave the gentle
hen who sought TO secure from him eX-
pressions favorable to arbitration. One
is that the strike will not end until the
miners surrender; the other is that he
having laid down a platform of principles
for the ccal companies, they will now be
more approachable than ever before. We
ind this view taken by the New York
Times, and other papers. who are can
did friends Of arbit1a ZION.
That many of the Republican leaders
are hard at work to effect a settlement
there can be no doubt. In view of the
npproa ching elections, no wonder that
that iik. are urgent and persistent in ad-
vising Mr.. Morgan to give the word that
the coal companies must make terms.
Unless terms are made The Republicans
are likely to lose many congressman from
the States Of Pennsylvania, Ohio, New
York. &C., where sympathy with the
strikers appears to be the greatest and
where It finds eloquent expression through
the columns Of able and widely circulated
papers.
like to see the strike happily arbitrated,
and we should be surprised If he did not
say so pretty soon.
The New York Times thinks the scheme
outlined by Carroll D. Wright, United
States Labor Commissioner, offers feast
bic basis for opening negotiations. Mean
while the Governor of Pennsylvania has
allowed himself to be quoted as standing
ready to call the Legislature of that
State into extra session, so soon as any
INC can place before him a plan that, IL
Enacted into law, would afford a reason
lble prospect of success in healing the
breach between the coal companies and
heir former employees.
While appearances do not indicate an
Immediate settlement of the strike in the
anthracite coal region-while the failure
of the strike in the Yirginias is not cal
culated to lessen tho demands Of the
Pennsylvania coal companies-still we
rannot but believe that irresistible in
iuences are at work to bring about a
compromise.
These influences are largely po-
ttical: but are representative of
Widespread and deep-rooted public
sentiment, without regard to party
Mutations The administration wants
he matter settled before the cleo
,ions come of. The administration can
influence the Morgan syndicate: that syn
kicate can influence the coal companies.