The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-11-24
BIG STRIKE COMING
Continued from First Pages /,

George u Daer, leader of the opera
tors. and other operators because he
forced them to give tentative oficial
rccognitionfto the'strikiug miners. L.
is claimed that a desire to wipe out this
humiliation. rankies in the bosoms cs
Baer and his colleagues, although
Roosevelt's coal strike commission
finally tool. stand against the miners
by declaring for'the "open Shop"
1t is felt that as the bftuminous
miners have worked under an eight
hour system for several years there
may not ne great opposition; SO far
as that question is concerned and the
matter of raising wages of the unslili-
ell and lowest paid workers also may
be arranged. But the so-called closed
shop is the home of contention. II
break comes 1t will be due to the fact
that the operators oppose the principle
Of recognizing and treating with the
mine workers organization.
In the hitumiuous field the situation
is the reverse. The operators associa-
tions recognize and treat with the
union. Joint meetings are held annu-
ally and all questions that develop be-
tween the men and their employers
are threshsd ont on their merits. Last
year the union, when shown to its sat
isfaction that coal prices were declln-
ing, accepted u reduction of 1--WE and
half per cent. rather than order ma
tional strike in the hope of checking
the price decline.
ut is true hat the bituminous coei
industry is in state of demoraliza
tion," said Mitchell. But is that any
reason why we should bear the bruns
of this condition which the operators
have brought upon themselves by
reckless price cutting and not for the
Eenefit of the masses OF the people. hlG
for TIE gein OF certnin special inter
ests? N Is
I'VE have doue our share to keep the
coal industry in working condition Our
miners are compelled to work Just as
hard to mine coal ut eighty.fye cents
ton as vixen they received ninety
cents and they not only refuse to &C
cept further reduction but demand u
restoration Of the five cents clipped
from every ton of ccal mined.
My belief is that at the January
convention Of the mine workers this
Question will he settled definitely OH
The line; that have iadicated. that
our members will accept no further re-
duction and Will stand for an advance
and fight for 1t II necessary"
According to Secretary w. b. VIII
son, If n strike is ordered in the btu
minous fields, either against a reduc-
ton or for On advance in wage, up.
Yards of c.:iee hundred thousand men
will respond to the call.
The various districts have more than
S",Oo0.000 III their treasures. the Il!t-
nois miners alone, who are raising the
shot firing law az an issue. have q mil
lion dollars to draw upon for the sup
port of their members while or
strike. Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa.
and several other districts further
south and west, are solidly organized
The only dark spots from the
miners view points are portions of
Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In
the former State there are about 3d..
900. But the miners officials live in
hopes that the men in the morgan.
lied sub-districts will make cause
with those organized laborers, If u
Struggle is precipitated
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ACT pEeriNc-p, ncE