The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-08
LABOR INTERESTS.
Annu al Meeting of the Interstate Convention
of Miners and Nine Owners.

Meeting interstate convention
of Miners and Mine Owners.
PrrrsBURG. Feb. THE annual convention
of The Interstate Association of Miners and Mime
Owners was called to order at old City Hall at
IL o'clock this morning by President S. N Yeo-
man. of Indiana Over 400 delegates represent
ing 200 pits in the States of Pennsylvania. Ohio,
Indiana. Illinois Maryland, and West Virginia,
were present at tho opening session. After
brief address by President Woman. in which he
complimentsd both sides for M aintaining the scale
adopted at Columbus, O.. last year. . committee
was appointed to examine credentials. The bal
of the session was taken mp with discus
sion as whether the half dozen delegates from
Illinois and West Virginia would be allowed
in the convention. as it was understood
that the operators of the two States referred to
had withdrawn from the agreement The mat
ter was finally left in the hands Of the commit
tee on credentials and the convention adjourned
for dinner Previous to the opening of the con-
vention the operators met at the Monongahela
House and decided insist that the relative
basis of mining be taken for the standard, the
same as last year. The wage question was not
considered, but il was rumored that the opera
tors would ask . reduction. 1t il understood
that majority of the miners are willing to ac-
cept the old rate although few want adj
vance, The meeting developed considerable OPP
position to the Knights of Labor on the part Of
the Indiana operators, who threatened to with
draw from tbs association unless they were per-
mitted TO control their own mines
When the convention assembled in the
afternoon quite q breeze was caused by the
committee credentials reporting a resolution
providing that where districts were represented
by miners and not operators the miners should
not be entitled to a vote, and that the same
should apply to operators from districts not rep
resented by miners. The resolution created a
heated discussion, and Immediately after its
adoption, ten delegates, from West Virginia.
Maryland and the low-grade division of Penn
sylvania, withdrew from the convention. The
extending the courtesy of the convention to
these delegates, and giving them . voice but not
q vote.
The matter Of permanent organization was
taken mp and resulted in the election OF Alex
Dempster, president of the Spring Hill Coal
Company, Pennsylvania, chairman; Chris Evans,
OF the American Federation of Miners. secre-
secretary. The secretary then road his annual
report, after which tho convention adjourned
till 7:30 o'clock.
Previous to the opening Of the afternoon ses-
sion Col. w. p. Rend. an extensive operator,
addressed the delegates and created sensation
conspiring with the Illinois operators to shut
out Eastern productions from the markets in the
Northwest.
The night session lasted until after il o'clock,
and the entire evening was taken up by dis
cussion on the admission of delegates from the
Knights of Labor into the convention. This
fight was started in the convention at Columbus
protrActed, and finally resulted in tho conven-
ton deciding to admit the delegates asfminers,
but not Knights of Labor. An adjournment
was then taken until to morrow morning.