Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-10-09

power of the state insufficient to re-
establish law, when requested by the
legislature and governor Ito suppress
domestic violence"
"You see there is a lawful way to
secure coal for the public
Continuing Baer said:
The duty of the hour is not to
waste tire negotiating with for2enters
of this anarchy and :nsolent defiance
Of the law but to Go as was done in
the war Of the rebellion. restore the
majesty Of the law, the only guardian
of free people and re-establish order
and peace at any cost. The govern
ment is a contemplate failure if it can
only protect the lives and property,
and secure the comfort of the people
by compromising with violators of the
law and investigators OF violence and
crime.
''Just now it is more important to
teach ignorant men, dwelling among
US, misled and used as tools by citi-
zens of other states, that at whatever
cost and inconvenience to the public
Pennsylvania will use the whole power
Of the government to protect not only
the man who wants to work, but his
wife and children while he is at work,
and to punish every man who by in
stigation or by overt acts attempts to
deprive any man of his liberty to
work
"Unler these conLILiOns we decline
to accept Mitchell's considerate offer
to let our men work on the terms he
names. He had no right to come from
Illinois to dictate terms on the accept
ance of which anarchy and crime
shall cease in Pennsylvania. He must
stop his people from killing, manning
and abusing Pennsylvania citizens
and from destroying property. He
must stop it because it is unlawful
and not because of any bargain with
us. We will add to our offer to con-
tinue the wages existing at the time
of the strike and take up at each
colliary and adjust any grievance,
this further conditional the employ
ers and employees at any particular
colliery cannot reach a satisfactory
adjustment of the alleged grievances
| it shall be referred to the judges of
the court of common pleas of the dis
trict in which the colliery is situated
| for final determinations
What Mine Workers Say.
The mine workers statement is
brief. They say they are much i'm
! pressed with the presidents views
! and the dangers to the welfare of the
country from a prolongation Of the
strike. Continuing they say: Con
scious of the responsibility resting up
on us, conscious of our duty to soci
| ETY., conscious of our obligations to
$50, 900 mine workers whom we have
the honor to represent, we have after
| most careful consideration and with
the hope of relieving the situation
and averting the sufferings and hard,
ships which would inevitably follow
in the wake of coal famine. decided
to propose the resumption of coal
| suggested
! Before doing SO, Mr.. President, we
| desire to say We are not prompted to
| suggest this course because of any
| doubts Of the justice Of our claims
We are prompted by no fear on ou1
! part of our ability to continue the
contest to a successful issue, thanks
to the generous assistance rendered
us by our fellow workers in this and
other lands; thanks to the Justice
loving American public whose sym
pathies are always on the side of
right, we are able to continue the
struggle Indefinitely. But, confident
Of our ability to demonstrate to any
impartial tribunal, the equity of our
demands for higher wages and i'm
proved environment we propose that
the issues eliminating in this strike
of your own selection, and agree to
accept your award upon all or any of
the questions involved. If you will
accept this responsibility and the rep
resentatives Of the coal operators will
signify their willingness to have your
decision incorporated in an agree
ment for not less than one year or
more than five years, as may be mu-
tually determined between themselves
and anthracite coal mine workers, and
will pay the scale of wages which you
and the tribunal appointed by you
shall award we will Immediately call
a convention and recommend the re-
sumption of work, upon the under
standing that the wages which shall
a. - s1k EgRs RAn aaRRo a