Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-07
HOSTS OF CANDIDATES.
A Big Struggle for the Control of the
United Mine Workers.
RAE WILL HARDLY TRY IT AGAIN.
Many of the Leaders Not Anxious to Have
the COkerS in the Order.
DISCORDS OF THE LOCAL MUSICIANS

National Secretary McBryde, of the
| United Mine Workers, has issued circular
to local assemblies and unions calling at
tention to the provision inserted in the con-
! stitution at the last annual convention, re-
| Quiring nominations for officers to be for
| warded to the Secretary at least one month
before the convention. All nominations
must be sent in not later than January g.
Then the Secretary has two weeks in which
to make out q list of the nominations and
return them to the locals.
Nominations are to be made for presi-
| dent, vice president, secretary and four
! members of the executive board. Under
the new plan there will no doubt be host
of candidates, but the returns made to the
Secretary will determine to a large extent
the men who are favored by the miners,
and it will give those who want to be
officials and cannot get the votes oppor-
tunity to withdraw without the humiliation
of a defeat in convention.
a Third Term Not Probable.
There is no doubt that the majority of the
miners are dissatisfied with the present
administration, although the officials all
have greater or less following. President
Rae has served two terms and hence, ac-
cording to an established precedent is not a
logical candidate. There are many aspirants
for this position. the most conspicuous be-
ing P. H. Penna, the present Vice Presi-
dent and John P. Jones, President of the
Ohio miners. Penna is popular with the
miners in almost every district, but he will
not have an easy thing if Jones is in the
contest. There has been talk of other very
likely candidates, but their names nave not
been mentioned.
As for Secretary Treasurer, Patrick Nc
Bryde, the present incumbent, has been
quoted as saying that he did not want the
office another term. In this event, w. B.
Wilson, senior member of the Executive
Board, would be the logical candidate.
However there are other aspirants for the
place and contest is likely to occur. AT
the last convention a scheme was laid by
the several officers of the X. of L. to elect
a Knight to this position. and it came very
near being carried through.
To Capture the Whole Outfit.
Now it is intimated by the Knights that
scheme has been Matched by the old Pro-
gressive Union men to capture the whole
the entire Executive Board will be over
hauled. Some changes are certain. The
forthcoming convention will not be so large
as the last one, which was the biggest ever
held There were 1923 votes in that con-
vention.
In the next there will be loss of about
so votes from the coke region, 5 from Ala
bama, from Iowa, about 20 from Ohio, and
no doubt scattering loss from other dis
tricts. The membership in the coke region
is not regarded by many of the leaders as
desirable, as they say it is an uncomfortable
element and likely to involve the crganiza-
ton at any time. AT the last convention
the coke contingent had big representa-
ton, and secured the Endorsement of the
coke strike against the best judgment of the
national officers.