The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-07-21
Strike Of Illinois Miners Wen Into It's Fourtl
Month and Being Carried on More
Determined Than Ever.
Operators Resor6ns TO Every Effort Know,
TO Plutocratic Pirates to Disrupt the
Union and Nislead the Public

ceiyed, bu, grim-visageds and determined. ].
are standing by their gums, fully intent
ON winning the demands as made by7
their Representatives in the Peoria con.
rention. That these demands are reIa3s
lively competitive and just is attested by
the TACT that the humane, justice loving
element among the mine owners have
long ago conceded our demands, signed
our agreement and resumed the peaceful
and profitable operation Of their mines,
thus giving employment to approximate.
ly twenty five thousand of our member
ship, while the mines owned by the rail.
road interests( and few unallied dupes
who are being led to insolvency and final
ly absorption by the railroads), who re-
gard their selfish interests as paramount
to public good, are idle.
And this is the element among the
mine owners who because of their OBJ
stinacy and ravenons greed are para
lying the business interests among the
miners in the vain hope that by the
merciless process of starvation, or be-
cause of some outside Interference they
may be able to compel some modifca-
ton Of the miners original demands,
however, j am inclined to the belief
that they are again doomed to disap-
pointment.
The writer has just returned from
where he addressed monstrous mass
meetings Of miners in Williamson, Sa.
line. Franklin and other counties, and
found the sentiment of the men to be
unanimously in favor of continuance
of the strike, until the operators agree to
accept the terms offered them at the be-
ginning of the trouble
This feeling Is not the outgrowth of
that unreasoning and undeliable impul-
siveness aroused by the first moments of
battle, but is the result of more than
three months of sober thought and silent
priration, during which many of our men
have no doubt felt the gnawing panps of
hunger, and yet there are no complaints,
no pleading for quarter, no evidence of
surrender. the reverse is true. On every
hand is evidence of determination that
knows no defeat that there shall be no
compromise of our differences with the
mine owners, and what is true of the
southern section of the state is likewise
true of all other parts affected by the
strike.
Everywhere the men standing
shoulder to shoulder fully resolved to
carry the strike to victory, and one can
not by any stretch of imagination see
any token that would indicate that the
Illinois miners are willing to make any
compro mise in order to bring about
settlement OF the strike.
The time for a compromise has come
and gone. The miners before going into
the strike spent many days and weeks
of time and many thousands of dollars
in an honest but vain endeavorz to avoid
the present conflict, and it was oulr
after every coneiliatory means failed
that they decided that the only way to
redress their wrongs was to engage in
industrial warfare, and though slow to
reach that decision now that they have
done SO they are waging the fight with
puritanical courage that can lead
only 70 complete victory for them in the
end.
Since the Inauguration of the strike
the tactics of the mine owners have been
such as would do credit to a band of
Chinese highbinders. In their despera-
ton they have left nothing undone that
would tend TO cause chaos among our
membership. Having failed to do so
they are now staging what they regard
as very clever ruse by clamoring for
a referendum vote of the miners to see
whether the strike shall be continued or
not Their plan is obvious They hope
that through the activities of their super
intendents. pit bosses and other paid
agents. to be able by liberal use of
Establishments, and false promises and
threats, TO influence a majority of the
men TO vote for cessation OF the strike