Year: 1877

doubt in o previous letter that many Of these men
could be induced to emgrate and engage in any other
kind Of business. Since then some OF the strikers
have spoken TO me approvingly Of the plan pro-
posed by Colonel Wright the Democratic men,
Der of Congress elect from this district, al
though don't remember that any one Of them
has expressed desire, himself. to take advantage
OF the aid proposed. Colonel Wnghts scheme
is a most absurd 1t contemplates giving
tracts Of Government land in the West to I'M
employed laborers, and lending money to them IN
annual instalments until each had received 5000.
The Government is to be secured by mortgages on
the farms thus opened is to charge only or 8 per
cent interest the money loaned, and is to recover
the principal in annual payments, the hrst 10 be
made at the end of seven years. Colonel Wrights
petition to Congress to pass his bill has already been
signed by more than 5000 of the workngmen or
this county, some Of whom actually believe that the
bill will be passed within month after the meeting
of Congress. Hes true friend of the working
man." said striker to me on Saturday referring 10
Colonel Wright; " If he was only twenty years Old,
only fifty he would soon stralghten thln rs
out here and TX things all right "-and SO the dema-
g0gue gets bis reward.


there are many signs that the strike, in this
region, is nearly at an end. The resumption of Mr..
Parrishs mines Tuesday will, undoubtedly. be
followed by yielding of the employed at other
collieries. One obstacle, besides the matter Of
wages to settlement of the present difficulties in





and Frank Bovey two men who were arrested for
ordering the stoppage of the pumps in some of Mr..
Parrishs mines and who have been in Jail in Pitts
burg were released on bail. The release of these
men has been one of the conditions insisted on by
the strikers When | informed knot of strikers
Of this fact last Saturday one of them at
once remarked: "1hen Wen be at work in
ess than n week. although another said, five
minutes afterward. that the men would never
yield this time until all they struck for was
conceded. Another circumstance that points TO an
early adjustment of the controversy is the change
that has been made within the past week III the
demands of the strikers. They originally insisted
that the wages paid prior to last November, since
which time there has been a reduction OF 20
per cent, should be restOred afterward they
said they would accept the February wages, which
we're only Is per cent higher than those OF July,
aId Mr.. Parrish offered an advance of 10 per cent.
A miner in speaking of this matter, three OF four
days ago. directed my attention to the fact that
per cent only divided Mr.. Parrish and his men,
and he spoke as though he did not consider
the difference insupeTabe one. Beside all
this the general feeling that peryaded the whole
community here and was shared by every CLASSIFY
operators, business men, miners ana lahOIers- Ihat
the strike was about over seemed IN Itself To be
hopeful sign.


sumption of work in the mines is the political am
bitIOn of some of tue leaders of the strike. Ibe
Labor party in this county il surprisingly strong.
Its hope even Of electng its candidates for county
officers is not a very unreasonable one. The end OF
the strike, II in believed, would destroy al chance
which the Labor party has and II may he therefore
that the leaders Will keep the out until after
the election have not been able to verify the re-
port which | have seen printed. that the miners
committee has been offering TO sell out 10 either or
the old parties, or has been negotiating win the
leaders of either OF those parties 10 MAINTAIN the
strike until after the election, although have no
doubt that they would make such bargain If they
could gam any personal advantage by II. z. L. W.