Evening journal., 1890-04-16
IN THE WORLD OF LABOR
Miners and Operators in Con-
vention at Columbus, o.
A MAMMOTH STRIKE MAY RESULT

II Ohio aud Pennsylvania Operators
Adopt the Scale and Illinois and Indi-
ana Operators Reject II, Serious
Trouble win Result.
COLUMBUS, O., April 16--The joint meet.
ing Of the miners Of the United Mine Work
ers Of America and operators was called to
order yesterday afternoon by A. Dempster,
Of Pittsburg, p. Mcbride acting as secre-
tary, for the purpose of reviving the com
petitive district and agreeing upon the scale
Of wages The chairman stated the object
OF the convention. Miners representing the
states Of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsyl-
vania and West Virginia were present. The
letters from Indiana and Illinois operators,
saying that they would not attend the con-
vention, were read. After reading the let
ters, Mr. Dempstor said; I'm the absence Of
those operators. let common sense aud pru-
dence govern all your actions
The scale committee invited the Indiana,
Illinois and West Virginia miners to have
representatives on the committee, aud these
were appointed; West Virginia, j. W. Kirk
and Jeremiah Mead; Indiana, John Kane
and James Anderson. Illinois, Samuel skel-
ton and James Harrison.
The Scale and the Operators.
One Of the high officials Of the United
Mine Workers Of America was asked CON
corning the proposed scale. The reporter
said: Only the operators Of Ohio and Penn
| sylvania will be represented In the joint
convention Of miners and mine operators
which meets this afternoon. What IL they
should agree 10 pay the scale of prices pro-
posed by the miners, and the Indiana and
Illinois operators, not being represented,
refused to adopt itl Would there be striker
There would he replied. "Unless the
Ohio and Pennsylvania operators should
adopt the scale and force the Indiana and
illinois operators to adopt the same scale,
we would all refuse to return TO work in the
mines until our terms are conceded by all
1t would be the largest strike ever known
We will have no more Of this piecemeal
business. They will have to either accept
it all around or not at alLn
The Strength Of the Miners.
The official stated further, to show the
strength Of the miners, that there are 147
delegates in the convention, representing
fully 100000 organized miners IN the United
States. The organization, the United Mine
Workers, is In an excellent shape for con-
dict Nineteen weeks ago the Punxsutaw-
ney Coal company declared its determine
| tion TO crush out the union Of miners when
they went on a strike at that time, and set
| 81 100000 aside to do the work Word was
received yesterday that the company ha.
been compelled to 90 70 the wall and ha.
sold out entirely 70 the Belle Lewis and
Yates company. The failure Of the com.
pany shows the strength Of the miners
The Ohio Miners Meet.
The joint convention Of the miners Of
Ohio continued in session. On the question
of one or Eve organizations the convention
voted as follows: For one organization.
6,sSl; for five districts, l,2s4; total, s, s,l65.
The vote was made unanimous for one state
organization. The report Of the committee
on constitution was called for and adopted
by sections. 1t provides as follows:
Section 1-Ths organization shall be known as
| District Of the United Mine Workers Of America.
Sec 2-The objects Of this union are to unite
/ the mine employees Of Ohio aud ameliorate their
condition by methods Of Cancellation, arbitration
or strikes.
Sec s-This union shall have Jurisdiction over
all locals Of the National Progressive union and
local assemblies Of National District Assembly
| No 1856 Knights Of Labor in this district.
In Lyndon hall none of the mine operators
we're present, and the miners, Of whom there
were a large number, held q secret caucus.
President John b. Rea, Of the United Mine
Workers, was the presiding officer, with Sec
retary Treasurer Watchorn as secretary.
Later it was learned that the caucus did not
adopt a scale to be insisted upon, but that
the scales adopted at the national conven.
tion in Columbus, o., in January last, would
represented to the operators and their adop-
tion demanded.
Mine Operators In Session.
The mine operators held a caucus. There
were about fifty or sixty operators present
from Ohio and Pennsylvania, and only one
from Illinois IndiaRa was not represent
ed The policy Of the operators on the
scale question was discussed, but no action
taken A committee Of four was appointed
from each state to vote in the Joint conven-
tion and represent the remaining operators
This will make the vote,of the operators Ia
the convention eight, as only Ohio and
Pennsylvania are represented, the Illinois
operator saying he would take no part in
the convention.
LABOR TROUBLES GALORE.