The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-02-08
INTERSTATE MINERS1
AND NINE OWNERS CONVENTION.
The Association in ss..lOn at Pltt.Surrh.
West Virginia and Maryland Delegates
WithdrAW-OppoSItion to the Knights
ofLRbor Developed in Convention.

PITTsBURGH, Pa, Feb. THE annua
convention Of the Interstate Association
Of Miners and Mine Owners, was called tc
order at the old City Hall at II O'Clock
this morning, by President s. NJ. YoemSn
Of Indiana. Over 400 delegates, represent
ing 200 pits in the States OF Pennsylvania
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland and
West Virginia, were present at the open.
ing session. After q brief address by
President Yoeman, in which he Compll.
mented both sides for maintaining the
scale adopted at Columbus, Ohio, last
year, q committee was appointed to ex.
anime the credentials. The balance oi
the session was taken up with discussion
m to whether the half dozen delegates
from Illinois and West Virginia would be
allowed in the convention, as ii was uuder-
stood that the operators OF the two States
referred to had withdrawn from the agree.
ment. The matter was finally left in the
hands OF the Committee on Credentials
and the convention adjourned for dinner.
Previous to the opening Of the Conven-
ton the operators met st the Monon-
gahels house, and decided to insist that
the relative basis Of mining coal be taken
for the standard the same "a last year.
The wage question was not considered,
but II was IumoTed that the operators
would ask for q reduction. It is under
stood that the majority Of the miners are
willing to accept the old rate, although
they want an advance. The meeting de-
Veloped considerable opposition to the
knights Of Labor on the part Of the In
diana operators, who threatened TO with.
draw from the Association, unless they
were permitted TO control their own mines.
SENSATION.
When the Convention reasssmbled in
the afternoon quite breeze was caused
by the Committee on Credentials report
ing a resolution providing that where dis.
tricts were represented by miners and not
operators the miners should not be enti-
tied to vote, and that the same should
apply to operators from districts not rep
resented by miners. The resolution Gre.
sted heated discussion, and Immediately
after its adoption ten delegates from West
Virginia, Maryland and the low
grade division OF Pennsylvania Withdrew
from the convention. The Committee on
Credentlals reported in favor OF extend.
ing the courtesy Of tho convention to
these delegates and giving them voice
but not vote. The matter OF permanent
organization was next taken up and re-
suited in the election Of Alex Dsmps.er,
President OF the Spring Hill Coal Com.
psny, Pennsylvania, Chairman; Chris
Evans, OF the American Fedora.
ton Of Miners. Secretary; Patrick
Mcbride, Of Ohio, Assistant Sec.
retary. The secretary then read bis
annual report, after which the convention
adjourned until 1880 o'clock this evening.
Previous to the opening OF the after
noon session Col. W. P. Rend, the exten.
awe operator, addressed the delegates and
created sensation by charging the north
western railroads with consplring with
the Illinois operators to ahdt out eastern
productions from tho markets in the
northwest.
The night session lasted until alter II
O'Clock and the entire evening was taken
up by 9 discussion on the admission OF
delegates from the K. OF L. into the con-
ventlon. This fight was started in the
convention at Columbus last year. The
debate was decidedly hot and protrRcted
and finally resulted in the convention de.
Gliding to admit delegates as miners but
not as Knights Of Labor. An adjourn
ment was then taken until tomorrow
morning.