The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-03
Only Chance Remaining.

There have been intimations that
two agencies-the president of the
United States and the National Civic
Federation may be appealed TO to set
in motion negotiations to a rehabiIita-
ton of the joint-state agreement or at
least a discussion Of some possible
means of bringing the operators and
Miners together for further negotia-
items.
Sc far as known, however, there is
nothing upon which to base an asser-
ton that either the president or the
civic federation have decided to offer
their services.
Perhaps the most significant state
nents made by President Mitchell
during any session of the present con-
ventiOn were made this afternoon, first
in his admonitiOn to all the miners
that each individual make prepara-
tons to establish a strike fund which
Will make each miner self-sustaining
for at least a reasonable length of
time, and again when. in answer to the
question Of a delegate who wished to
he enlightened as to the correct sense
of the resolution adopted yesterday.
he said:
The resolution adopted yesterday is
capable Of no two interpretations. and
at the proper time all such questions
shall be answered:
Interview With Mitchell.
During an interview this afternoon
President John Mitchell discussed some
OF the phases of the situation
Never IN the history of this country
mas strike of far-reaching effect been
threatened, said Mr. Mitchell 1T means
a national suspension of mining if the
strike comes on at the expiration of our
mining contracts March 81, and it in
cIGdes the anthracite district
VIII this action of the miners, incIud-
ing the anthracite districts, in order that
- contracts shall be signed until all OBJ
tin agreements have any effect on the
meeting Of the anthracite miners and
operators on Feb. 1872
Z don't know at this time he said.
VIII you meet the anthracite operat-
orslat that tiTne?'
Yes" he replied; that is the plan at
this time and no changes have been made
According to the figures given out by
the national officers Of the miners ar
gdnlzatiOn they expect the strike to bring
out over 100000 men--about 10000 union
miners in West Virginia and Pennsylva-
MA with the $4,000 union miners
Of thus number about 10000 viii be out
IN the anthracite districts, 5000 in the
pennsylvania bituminous districts, $1,000
IN Ohio, 100 in Indiana, 5000 in Illinois,
5000 in Iowa, 10000 in West Virginia 5000
IN Michigan and approximately so, 900 in
n ansas Missouri, Texas, Indian Territory
and Arkansas.
The states enumerated will be the scene
Of the greatest part Of the battle
Mr. Mitchell said that never in the his
JCry or this country was there an organi-
cation that called out so many men III
one strike having such widespread ef-
feet.
Grave Responsibility.
4 have said" he declared, that the re-
sPonsibilty Of bringing on such a strike
was a grave responsibility for any people.
we nave been slow to assume any such
responsibility, and the responsibility rests
as any Onescan see, on the operators
7 he prosperous condition of the czoun-
try warrants an increase for the miners
We accepted a decrease by our votes two
years ago, when, at the time we were con
Vinced- that the conditions of the country
demanded it We have ever been T1eadv
to stand right and 1--WE stand right now
When questioned about the cost of the
anthracite strike he said that its cost
had been estimated by the anthracite
strike commission to be a loss of SOS 600
600 of wages to the miners, $50 900 600 OF
profits TO the operators, $26,0000 900 loss in
freight rates.
There were other items of loss that
raised the total figures much over 500
O0e 900 for the strike. 1t lasted a little
over twenty-six weeks"
President Mitchell estimated that roI1r
people are dependent On every miner. On
this estimate a national strike such as is
planned will affect over 2,000 900 peopIe
dependent on the mining Industry for their
daily bread.
The dollar assessment would raise an
prOMmately $500 600 national treasury
furds by April 1. This organization now
has in cash in its national, district, sub
district and local treasures S2675.134z3
The two funds on April l will probably
place S0,QV9,o0o cash available for strike