The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-10

They believe Ii the miners unite success can be
accomplished where local strikes fail for the
want Of concerted action part of all.
Mr.. Gray, of West Virginia, believed that no.
where in the United States was the condition
of miners worse than in his State There op-
preston stared them in the face. In some parts
he knew of miners who could scarcely get dry
piece of bread, and in others starvation was
being endured. There are number of instances
| where they are afraid to organize;
but in few places the Knights of Labor are
striving hard to secure footing, but for the
most part their efforts are futile. The name Of
the order is poison to some, and ironclad oaths
that You belong to no union required to be
signed if you want work. When an effort is
made to organize the order, tale bearers run to
the boss, and the man who is working for bet
tering the condition of his fellows is sent adrft.
Thus the miners are held down to level of deg
radiation. They look to this convention for
| relief. They want something broad to stand
upon; but under the best circumstances, it will
take year to fully organize the Kanawha
valley.
Mr.. Sullivan of Iowa, said his State was
troubled with the same disease, and it is perhaps
worse there An attempt was made, through an
amalgamated organization, to look to legislation
Tor relief. the complaints on which particular
stress was placed being screening, ventilation
and the incorporation Of the Knights of Labor.
But it failed, and the organization lost interest
and is now of no force. 1t is true that
there are few scattered assemblies Of
the knights, but they are ineffective
under present conditions He said
he and his fellow-delegates were instructed to
work for an organization under the Knights of
Labor, for an annual convention of miners,
national standard of weighing and handling
coal, similar to the Missouri law and Casset bill,
an accumulation of national defense fund,
eight hours for a days work, and the system of
paying wages every two weeks. They want the
screening of coal to be done away with by uni
form legislation in the several coal States Oppo-
s'tlon to screening is not to the process ITSELF
but the miners of Iowa do not want it conducted
as it is done now--at their expense
Mr.. Patrick, of the Indiana Section Number
One. said his section has limited organization.
Not more than one-tenth of the miners are or
ganized, but since in the latter part of June,
when they got information of this convention,
they had met with better success A complete
ness of organization is to be effected according
to the action of the convention.
Mr.. Wall, of Indiana Section Number Two,
saidrnhe was sorry to report the same
6hlo and Illinois. but
- * the miners he
represS0oed'Was not as bad as those in West
Virginia. At present they are under a strike,
delegate favor a national organization. They
think there can be no amelioration without it.
They want the system of payment of wages
every two weeks. and eight hours for days
work.
Messrs. Lowry and Huston, of Indiana sec
tons three and four, gave similar reports, the
frstnamed saying that his locality favored gen.
eral organization as it was believed
local i0a str. strikes Nv, were of no avail Moth.
lettering conditions until organization is had
East, West, North and South. They believe
that when suspension of labor is necessary that
it shall be general. Mr.. Huston reported some
progress in organizing the miners in the Park
Vile district.
Mr. McAdams, of Pike county, said the mine
he represented was small but we'll organized. He
had made an effort to awaken an interest in this
movement by corresponding with FIVE mines in
nesburg, but not one of them tried to send
delegate or offered to contribute FIVE
cents TO pay expenses OF the
convention. There was something in those
places working against unity of miners interests.
Reports of other delegates were Of the charac-
ter given above, all showing decided favor for
general organization on the part of those they
represented. In some places local organizations
were progressing. in others they dragged, but
great hopes were universally expressed relative
to the action of the convention.
Mr. Smith of the Beleville, ILL.,, district said
the condition Of miners there was miserable.
Many evils had to be met, but there was one,
intemperance, which caused more trouble than
the miners, and now mining is down at one and
quarter cents per bushel, and this with only
two days work in the week. There are ten
machine mines, which cause a great deal of
to satisfy the operators Of machine pits. Very
few old miners are engaged in them. Farmers
and others are employed at 81. 50per day. Miners
in that district favor national organiza-
ton as well as district, regardless
of State or county lines They want also to do
away with local strikes. They are tired of
them.
Mr.. Davis, of Pennsylvania, said the anthra-
cite men he represented were anxious to unite
with the bituminous men. committee waited
on the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Com
.pany, and were informed that in case they ad-
vanced the price of anthracite the bituminous
coal men would come in competition with them.
Thus the interests of one was used against the
interests of the other It was time they
united.
Mr.. Smith, of Kansas, closed the reports,
morning at o'clock. The afternoon session
will begin at o'clock and last until 5.