Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-27
ESPECIAL rHLEeRAM 70 THE DISPATCH,

until late hour last night, and were at
work again at an early hour this morning.
They expect to complete the work to-mor-
row. There is great diversity of opinion
upon the leading topics, and it requires con-
| siderable time for the convention to come to
an agreement upon any important point. AT
| the session this forenoon the committee ap-
pointed for that purpose submitted report
on the scale of prices for the ensuing year.
The price fixed for mining in the Hooking
Valley was the first portion of the report
considered. John Nugent, of N. D. A. 135,
offered an amendment fixing the price at 20
cents instead of so cents per ton. He did
not believe that scale of so cents could be
enforced in the Hooking Valley. John d.
Taylor. of the Progressive Union, offered
an amendment to the amendment fixing the
price at IS cents.
FOR MODERATE PROGRESS,
The amendments called forth considerable
discussion. Mr.. Taylor believed that rate
of 80 cents was too high. Before it was
adopted he thought the miners should know
whether they would be in position to make
such q demand. He was in favor of mod
crate progress rather than an ignominious
attempt to establish an unreasonable scale.
1t was argued that if the price in the
Hooking Valley was fixed at a lower rate
than so cents the entire scale would have to
be reduced proportionately. The scale must
be uniform. The amendments were both
defeated. The vote to fix the price at so
cents for the Hooking Valleywas as follows:
n. D. A. 1876, K. Of L. q yeas and 26 nays,
IN uofa i've
yeas and nays, 2 declining to vote. There
were independent delegates from Western
Pennsylvania who voted yes, making the
total number of yeas 90 and nays 29, with
declining to vote.
A REDUCTION ASKED.
An effort WIS made to have the price for
the Wilmington field reduced cents, the |
claim being made by delegates from that |
field that it was too high. Addresses were |
made by David Ross, of Illinois, and John |
Mcbride, giving history of the formation |
of different scales and the establishment of |
basing rates, which convinced the conven-
ton that the price fixed for the Wilmington |
field was not too high, and it was adopted.
On the suggestion of Mr.. Scaife, of |
Illinois, the price fixed by the committee
for Stanton and Mt. Olive, in Southern Il
linois, was raised from IS to 66H cents.
David Ross, of Illinois, in speaking in
favor of this advance, referred to the un- !
organized condition of the miners in
Southern Illinois.
That was at one time the best organized
district The men had lost courage, how
ever, and it seemed as if their manhood was
now departing. He believed that the
miners there could be organized in the secret
branch of the new organization, which
would protect them from the i'll will of the
operators, which they might incur
in advocating an advance in wages.
FINAL ACTION DEFERRED.
The price for mining in the Reynolds
vile district was added to the scale pre-
pared by the committee at the request of
the Pennsylvania delegates. The scale
having been ratified by sections its adoption
as whole was deferred until the Scale
Committee should report prices for entry
work, dead work, etc., and the Committee
on Machine Mining should also report.
The question of a defense fund was con-
sidered. The committee appointed to pre-
pare something tangible on the subject re-
ported that it could not agree, and sug-
yested that the matter be referred BY the
Executive Board to the local assemblies,
and that arrangements be made to secure
vote on the same. Several amendments to
,he report of the committee were offered,
Ind variety of opinions were developed by
IN extended discussion. One proposition
vas to assess each member 20 cents per month
or defense fund, one-half of the amount !
o go to the national and one-halt to the
ocal treasures. An amendment provided
N assessment of 81 per month for three
months, and another amendment 50 for three
months.
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
1t was the general opinion that q defense
und was one of the most important ques- I
ions to be considered by the convention,
nd many of the delegates desired that some I
ction on the matter should be taken. Dele y
ate Monahan, Of Illinois, in speaking of
he importance of defense fund, illustrated
in the following manner: "Here is fruit 1
arden inclosed by high wall. PEOPLE S
limb over the wall, however, and secure
he fruit. A bulldog placed in the garden G
invites the intruders to retreat. The mining 8
raft he likened to the fruit garden; their
rganization was the wall about it; the
efense fund the bulldog"
Many of the delegates were in favor of an
of 81 per month for three months
" defense fund. but it was argued by
Tiers that it could not easily be collected.
ents. On the other hand it was urged that II
defense fund to accomplish anything must
E large, and to secure itNln time to enforce =
lie scale adopted May l, the assessment
ould have to be made in proportion.
THE PLAN PROPOSED. D
After protracted discussion, the matter
defense fund was referred to commit Is
e Of two, composed of p H, Penna, of In cs
ana, and W. B. Wilson, of PENNSYLVANIA, al
ith instructions to report as soon as pos v,
bic. The committee has agreed to report ty
assessment OF % cents per month on each
iner for a defense fund till May 1, and NJ,
ter that the assessment to be Is cents per :.
onth. This will make the defense fund by st ~
ay about $50, 900, and if they should a a
'uble the membership, it will reach at w
asst $50, 900. A.,
John Mcbride introduced the following " "
solution, which was unanimously adop- ~ ~
d: -
The coal interestof the Mononpa-
la river in Pennsylvania is now being dis
minated against and fast being undermined q,
the lockage and foliage system permitted by S'
)vernment lease. or
ntion the Government should assume con-
u OF the river and make navigation free. -
TEMPORARY MINERS. 7
Delegate Monahan, of Illinois, intro
ICED what was termed "the corn husker
solution, which was adopted, as follows:
That men who only work part of the year in
3 mines must pay all dues and abide by all
nditions of our organization, ana should they =
i in arrears during the time they are out of
. mine tho must pay all arrears before they ~
n be allowed to work.
The Executive Board was instructed to
lp out, as soon as possible, competitive 81
'tricts, and when necessary call csnven-
ms of each district. The board held a
'eting tonight and decided to issue an
dress to the miners of America, explain
2 the action taken by the convention and
policy Of the new organization. The board