The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-24
A LABOR CONFERENCE
CALL FOR AN ORGANIZED LABOR
CONFERENCE TO BE HELD

Abh u 0dsh VI
sition of Mine Operators to Arbitrate as
to Pittsburg District Rejected-To Push
the Strike In West Misunderstanding at
Plum Creek-wholesale Arrests Expected
Address Of the Operators
Columbus, Ohio, August 2O.-The Ma
tional Executive board Of the United
Mine Workers adjourned today after
having issued a call for a conference
of organized labor to be held in st.
Louis. The board rejected h propo-
sition of the Pittsburg operators for a
conference to arbitrate the wage dis
pute in that district, claiming that
such action would be prejudicial to the
interests of the miners at large. The
board is ready to consider overtures
for the arbitration Of the issues of the
great strike only when the overtures
come from all the operators in the
competitive district which includes
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia
and Pennsylvania. The board has de-
cided not to deviate from the estab-
1ished policy until the result Of the
st. Louis conference is known. The
aggressive work in the field will be
continued and the efforts to spread the
strike in the West Virginia district re-
newed. The success or failure Of the
strike hangs upon the st. Louis confer
ence, the call for which has been en-
dorsed by Samuel Gompers, president
of the American Federation Of Labor,
and j. r. Sovereign, general master
workman Of the knights Of Labor.
At the st. Louis conference all labor
organization will be asked to join is
-..~- x,:Al 49, ~~-@-- MI fs1,,ro o.
secure a general suspension in West
Virginia has greatly interfered with
the prospects of success, as the coal
supplied from that and the few isolat-
ed districts is meeting the limited de-
mand. The only hope of cutting off
this supply appears to lie in the refusal
of organized labor in the ordinary
channels of traffic and business to ham
die or use this coal. If the object Of
the st. Louis conference is accomplish
ed the strike will be extended to near
ly every branch of labor in the Jul
try.
The call, among other things, says:
s'The t~yrannical and un-American in
functions Of the federal and state
courts are revolutionary as first prin-
ciples of free government and derOga-
tory to the inherent rights of the
masses, endangering the public peace
AIlu ucSlIOyllS liz pcISOIIdI SCCuIIly
and individual liberties of the COM
mon people. The courts ave deserted
the temple Of justice and now stand for
those by the defiant bulWark Of con-
federated capital. Their arbitrary rul-
fngs have set up one standard of rights
for the rich and another for the poo
They decree that capital is always
right and labor always wrong. They
have made it unlawful for starving
rp0nn1o tn onnno1 nroincf WV rnioo1
treatment, present grievances or just
and peacable terms for the redress of
insufferable wrongs. But it is no Ion
ger a mere struggle etwee 'emplOye
and employer. The judiciary has as
sumed the indefensible claims of the
operators and the struggle is between
t~yrannical courts and the whole peo-
pie. The courts, although under oath
to serve the rich and poor alike, have
volunteered to defend the sordid inter-
ests Of the rich as against the God
given rights of the poo n nov
threaten to turn the Calling guns and
Winchesters of criminals and thugs
against all who dare protest against
their despicable restraining orders.
The judiciary is prostituted to the
bidding of oppressive capital, has
placed the rights of property above the
rights of persons and has Disseminated
against the many in the interest of
the few"
Pittsburg, August 20.-Secret work
among the working miners is to be con
tinued on a large scale. There were no
men at Sandy Creek amp though it is
said an effort may be made to resume
there. Operations are also temporar-
lily suspended at Turtle Creek. One
hundred and seventy-five men marched
from Camp Isolation at Plum Creek
this afternoon. They marched to Unity
and were stopped at Plum Creek by the
deputies. The injunction was read to
them, but they continued to Center,
two miles past the dead line" They
then marched to New Texas and re-
turned with the farmers from that Sec
zion who were making a demonstration
in sympathy with the The
strikers were joined by their wives and
about 500 people at a meeting which
was addressed by Mrs. Jones, of Chi
cago: Captain Mckay and others.
Deputy Sam Young telegraphed for
the sheriff to come to the scene. Whole
sale arrests are expected to follow the
arrival of the sheriff, and, as both
sides are wrought VI to the highest
pitch, there is no telling what the re-
suit may be.
There was trouble at the strikers
camp near the Bunola mine during the
morning, and a number of strikers were
arrested for violating the injunctions.
ARRESTS were also made at Camp Vic
tory, C~arnnonsburg. A constable ap-
peared in camp with warrants for
twelve men but could only find two of
them. The others had anticipated ar
rest and left the camp before the Off
Ger arrived.
The coal operators in their meeting
tonight after waiting in vain for an
answer from President Ratchford to
Z their telegram asking for a conference
here tomorrow to arbitrate the strike
question. issued a statement to the pub
lie shortly after midnight. The state
ment was given out after a day of
waiting and was precipitated by the
following resolution passed today:
Resolved, That a committee be au-
thorized in case the miners leaders
agree to confer and no satisfactory
basis can be agreed upon in aid on