The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-02-05
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
A Paper BY One of the Scholars of the
Oakland school.

ed at regular meeting of the Coax
land Debating and Literary Society, ="
on Friday afternoon, January Both,
1903:
Reading by Miss Susie Littman,
The Wreck of the Hesperus, by
Longfellow. The following essay was
read by Mr.. Edward O'Donnell, 1.-THE
Coal Strike and It's Effects:''
1.-The great Anthracite coal strike
that has been agitating the minds of
the American people began early in
May, and was caused by the operat-
ors refusing to treat with the miners
in regard to the wage scale; but the
main issue was to compel the operat-
ors to recognize the Miners Union.
The effect of the strike has been
very great, and many industries that
depended upon the use of anthracite
coal were greatly embarrassed, as the
price of anthracite soon went from So
or 81 to SIS or $50 per ton, and the
poor were soon obliged to pay 1 cent
or over per pound, and they could get
but very small quantities at those
prices. The people began to substi-
tute soft coal, but the price of this
had also risen 300 or 400 per cent, and
1t is not well adapted for chimneys,
furnaces, stoves and CRATES that had
been constructed for anthracite. But
through the summer months the coal
famine had been only an inconven-
fence; as yet there had been no great
suffering as the people needed coal
only for their kitchen fires, and the
miners, though out of employment,
were supplied with money for their
sustenance by the Miners Union; but
that winter was coming on with the
prospects of a coal famine was some
thing to be dreaded, and President
Roosevelt Immediately took steps to
end the strike. He invited John
Mitchell, the strike leader, and the
railroad presidents, who represented
the operators, to come to Washington
and arrange for an arbitration com
mission to settle the strike. The men
met on the day appointed and Mr..
Mitchell on behalf of the miners Of
fered to abide by the decision of any
commission appointed by the Presi-
dent, and meanwhile to resume work
in the mines, but the men in behalf of
the operators refused to listen to ar
bitration, claiming there was nothing
to arbitrate. They said if they were
given military protection they could
obtain a sufficient number of men in
Pennsylvania to operate the mines.
Governor Stone, of Pennsylvania, i'm
mediately ordered the entire National
Guard of Pennsylvania, about 10000
men in number, to the coal fields.
The soldiers found no disorder to
speak of, and the operators also found
that none of the miners were willing
to go to work. The situation was
now becoming critical. Some of the
leading politicians were now in favor
ofthe U. S. Government taking charge
of the mines, but the strike was soon
to be ended. John P. Morgan, the
great financier, and chief owner in
the mines, and the coal carrying rail-
roads, went to Washington to confer
with the President. He agreed to
leave all the issues concerned to a
board OF arbitrator to be appointed
by the President, though limited him
in the choice of arbitrator to certain
classes of men of which there were to
be five, and the President was allowed
to add sixth. He soon induced Mr..
Mitchell to agree to those terms and
appointed the following arbitrator:
Gen. John M. Wilson, Thomas H.
Watkins, Judge George Gray, Ed
ward W. Parker, Edward E. Clark
and Bishop John L. Spalding. The
committee Immediately took up their
work aud have pursued it with great
zeal, but have not yet finished it.
THE miners declared the strike at
an end on Oct. 21st. Although the
mines have been in operation oyer
three months, yet in our large cities
thousands are suffering and a great
many people have been frozen to
death on account of the scarcity of
coal. ="
The subject, Resolved, that the
negro should be sent out of the
United States was debated.
Affirmative, Earl Ashby, Ruth Nc
ROBBIE, Milton Lantz. Negative, Lee
Roy Cropp, Henry Casteel, Ernest
Ashby. After the subject had been
ably discussed both pro and con it
was left to the decision of the Judges.
who decided in favor of the affirma-
tive. The question box was then
opened and read and answered. Prof.
E. a. Browning then addressed the
society.
MANADIER RIDGE.