This  was  followed  by  a  practical  abandonment  of  anything  like
organization  by  the  men,  until  1809  when  it  was  again  revived  under
the  leadership  of  ^fr.  William  Warner  of  the  Ignited  ^line  Workers
of  America.
The  first  step  was  an  address  purporting  to  come  from  the  em-
ployees, independent  of  the  organization,  asking  for  a  meeting  with
the  o])erators  similar  to  that  held  in  1804.  So  many  of  the  operators
still  cherished  feelings  of  resentment  at  the  failure  of  their  em-
ployees to  carry  out  their  promises  in  1894,  that  it  was  impossible
to  arrange  such  a  meeting,  and  in  its  stead  a  circular,  addressed  to
the  employees  and  signed  by  all  the  oi>erators  was  issued  and  posted
at  the  mines.  This  had  little  effect  on  the  conservative  element  and
was  iised  by  the  agitators  to  stir  up  the  men  with  the  statement  that
the  operators  considered  it  beneath  their  dignity  to  treat  with  the
men.  The  agitation  proceeded  ai)ace  with  the  avowed  object  of  ob-
taining an  advance  in  the  mining  rate  from  forty-five  to  fifty-five
cents  per  ton.  In  February,  1900,  the  operators  notified  the  em-
ployees that  after  the  first  day  of  April  the  rate  would  be  advanced
to  fifty-five  cents  per  ton.     The  demand  of  the  men  was  then  ad-


makyla:nd  geological  sukvey  527

vanced  to  sixty  cents  anil  on  Alarch  31  the  organization  was  con-
sidered strong  enough  for  a  demonstration.
