The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-01-02
Between >peratOrS and Minors
Of the Pittsburg District.
COL. REND SCORES BURNS,
The English Labor Leader, in Very
Strong Language.
President Mcbride, of the Mine Workers,
Declares That Present Conditions
are Worse Than Before
the Strike. -

PITTsBURG, Dec. 29-The opening
session of the joint convention between
the operators and miners of the Pitts
burg railroad coal district was marked
by several sensational utterances, in
which John Burns, M. p. the great
commoner of England, came in for q
stirring rebuke, delivered by Col. W.
T. Rend, the well known coal operator,
of Chicago and owner of several mines
in the Pittsburg district. The other
feature was the plain but forcible
statement of the situation in Pittsburg
mining circles as presented by John
Mcbride, President of the United Mine
Workers and president-elect of the
American Federation of Labor, in
which he openly avowed that the con-
ditions to-day were worse than prior
to the general strike.
Mr.. Chapman, of the Standard Coal
Company was chosen to preside. Chair
man Chapman suggested that John
B9rns. who was in the lobby, shonl1
be invited to a seat in the convention.
When a motion to this effect was made,
Col. Rend arose and said:
'Mr. Chairman, ! object to the
courtesies CT this convention being ex-
tended to Mr.. Burns, who is here for
the double purpose of discussing labor
matters and also of slandering and
villifying American institutions Mr..
Burns is stranger in America; it is
therefore beftting that he shall OBJ
serve the decencies and proprieties OF
the position that he occupies. These
proprieties he is constantly violating
by his malignant attacks upon our in
stitutions l would advise that Mr..
Burns return to the country from which
he came and criticize the customs, man
ners and institutions of his own land,
which he will find infinitely more de-
serving OF his criticism and abuse than
anything he can find here.
81 know it is the custom for 'blarsted
Britishers' to indulge in improprieties
similar to those against which / pro-
/ test in the case of Mr.. Burns. 1t is
about time for American manhood to
resent the offensive conduct of these
men. have no objection whatever to
listening to the views of Mr.. Burns
upon labor matters or sociology. My
protest is simply directed against q
! glaring abuse that has become in this
y country intoierable."
AS Col. Rend resumed his seat there
was an unbroken silence. Mr.. Burns
who stood listening all the time, moved
just little from steadied position he
had assumed at the beginning. Chair
man Chapman, just trife confused
arose, and put the motion to seat Mr.
Burns. 1t was carried, there being but
one dissenting vote. Col. Rend haG
voted no"
Not having voice in the convention
Mr.. Burns had to remain silent. Col
Rend again secured permission Of thu
floor, and for half an hour addressed
the meeting, retelling the story of the
dispute between miners and operators
and the causes leading to the differ
ences. Then followed President JohI
Mcbride with his address.
The convention adjourned in the af
ternoon without reaching settlemen
of wage rate. The question was lef
to committee consisting Of three op
orators, three miners and three disin
terested citizens of Pittsburg. Thi
committee will not meet inside of tw,
weeks and in the meantime the distric
rate will remain fifty-five cents, tn
price adopted by the Railroad Coal OF
orators association.