Affairs In General

Nine prominent labor organizers have gone to the West Virginia coal fields to g-et the miners now working tliere into the union and have tliem lay down their tools. It is said bv tliose who ara in i position to know that it will not reqnire inncli urg-iug te bring the West Virginians out. The Strikers' officers will then turn all their endoavors toward the Pennsylvan ia mines of the New York and Cleveland Gas Coal Co., whom President De Armit, of the company, brag-s cannot be inrfuced to strike. The miners" officers realize that the early suceess of the strike depends in closing these mines and will use every means to the men out. Gov. Mount, of Indiana, says his sympathy is all with the miners in the present coutest, and if he sces his way clear will appoint an investigating committee. With the scarcity of coal already prevailing1 at the lakc porte, it is claimed the supply will not last over two weeks at the loug-est. The retail iloalers" as well as the operators in g-eneral, concede that faniine is imminent and look for prices to advanee enoi1mously. At Cleveland coal has already jumped f rom 81.50 to Ï3 por ton. An attempt was made to settle the strike by voluntary arbitration. Dabor commissioners and official arbitrators of the states affected assembled at Pittsburg tog-ether with a number of interested mine operators and miners' union officials. The principal objeetion carne froni President DeArmit, of New York and Cleveland (Jas Coal Co., who said he would not arbítrate, but would fig-ht the United Mine workerS to the last ditch. President Ratchford, of the miners' union, then said that the only recourse left for the minéis was to fight also. Later, however, DeArmit oiïered to sign au agreement if 95 per cent of t+ie operators of the Pittsburg district will abolish their company stores, use a uniform screen,' give honest weight, and pay cash to the men every two weeks. Some of the operators look upon DeArmit's proposition as a humbug and as a ruse to guin time. The miners' officials declare that DeArmit once before signed such an agreement and soon found a technicality throug-h which to A joint pi'oposal of bimetallistn was presented to representativos of the Iiritish govenimcnt oiv behalf of the United States and l'nince by the a ín bassadors oí thoqe govcrnments and the special commission appointed by the Cfnited States. The proposals wore taken under advisement by the British eabinet, an answer to be given at a subsequent conference. The movciiK'nt to present France with a statue of Washington as a gift of the American people has received a fresh ímpetus through a contribution and a strong1 letter from ex-Senator Ilradbury, of Maine, now 96 years oíd.