The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-14

circular Letter from Officers of the
National AsxOcfatfon

ASSOCIATION.
COLUMBUS, o., Jan. ia circular has
Deen ISSUED by United Mine Workers off,
cials. and signed by all of them, which Is
being sent out to the United Mine Workers.
containing the terms of settlement reached
at the conference here Monday. and is a
voluminous document, containing about
four thousand words. 1t reviews the strike
siwells upon the convention and conference
at Cleveland May IA and Is. when, after
railing TO reach an agreement the miners
adopted resolution placing the whole ques-
tion in the hands of a committee consist
ing or the national officers and the district
vice president. This resolution is quoted.
Ii was adopted because of the condition OF
the finances of the organization, which did
not permit the payment of delegates ex-
penses. The circular then quotes from the
rsolution, declaring the strike which was
adopted at the national convention here in
April. and special attention called specially
10 the clause which declares il to be the IN
tention to refrain from the violation of law.
and pledging the members everywhere to
active cooperation in the enforcement of
law and order everywhere. The circular
then proceeds:
AS long as the miners engaged in the
suspension observed the policy of peace ana
order there was doubt of their ultimate
triumph. There has been at no time nor
can there be any reason for setting law
and It's authorities at defiance and indulgins
IN violent demonstrations TO redress inIag,
mary wrongs. That violence has been
our men have been outrageously lawless
as press reports indicate We deny Any vio-
by the maliciousiy exaggerated press re-
ports proved sufficient 10 change and turn
against us a public opinion never too
friendly toward the laboring men when in
conflict with corporate greed. Your presi-
dent, recognizing these facts and being
powerless TO enforce discipline in our ranks,
believing that the danger had been reached,
and being unwilling 10 assume or bear the
responsibility for acts over which he had
no control, called meeting OF the national
strike committee in accordance with the in,
structions OF the last national convention.
Here follows the resolution adopted by
Ine,Sy Inat cond. nf last satuTday The circuiar
further states that at this meeting a reso-
luton was adopted, unanimously, that IN
this district, rather than risk defeat ana
disaster, the minimum price OF 90 cents for
Pittsburg field and the same relative price
for Indiana, Ohio and limos. De accepted
.'The making of this agreement is In line
with the decision of the national commit
tee, and in the judgment OF the nempers
Of that committee, in keeping with your
best interest At the time your national
committee met to canvass the situatlon tne
members realized that we had reacned the
critical and turning point In the fight and
that we must choose between defeat ana
decentralization and compromise settle
ment. Our seemingly extreme position not
TO load coal at any price or for any pur-
pose though justified by your wants and
your interests, was turning against us, the
railroad manufacturing and other coal con-
Stunning forces, and In nearly every large
city operators were rendered their co-opefa-
ton financially and otherwise TO assist In
operating the mines with new men, ana
considering the number of idle men IL
was only too evident that the threats of
many of the larger operators 10 operate
their mines within the next week would
with the assistance of every lawful and un-
lawful Winchester in the country, and with
the PROSTATE and mangled corpses OF many
of our fellow-craftsmen, and the unjust IN
carceration of many others would become,
alas, but too well fulfilled.
with all of the foregoing facts staring
us In the face and with hundreds of others
which might or might not be impolitic to
reiterate here we have shouldered the
greatest responsibility during this genera
tion of miners, but one which We not only
believe, but positively know to be in the
best interests of craftsmen at this
time. the only possible bad effect of which
NAV be in yoll our constituents, losing your
temper and withdrawing from the union
that confidence which you have repeatedly
affirmed, and which you seem TO repose In
il. While We have not been able TO restore
wages to what they were in the early part
of 1898, We have, in many instances, pre-
vented reductions from taking place. and
In others secured part or what We lost
Reductions have been prevented in south
ern Illinois, and in Iowa prices have been
restored and the organization recognized
One-half Of the reductions pending on May
have been saved to the miners Of Indiana
and a similar amount saved to the miners
of northern Illinois; in addition 10 this
the operators from the latter field have
promised to abolish the infamous contract
system, which has caused so much dssatis-
faction to the miners of that part of the
country, and so much injury to their com
petitors in other fields In Ohio an increase
OF 10 cents a ton has been secured, and In
western Pennsylvania an advance of a sim.
liar amount In addition to the price OF
mining the interstate agreement has beer
re-established and once more peaceful meth
DDS of adjusting wages will take the place
of strikes; in electing check-weighmer
miners Will no longer be hampered by ths
| interference OF the operators. as under the