The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-10
LABOR LEADERS IN SESSION.
Means to he Devised to Aid the
Miners In Their Strike.

miners In Ihe1r Strike.
Pittsburg, ia, July 9.-The greatest
gathering of labor leaders that ever as
sembled in this country during a national
strike was held in this city tonight to de-
wise means to assist the miners in their
contest for increased wages The confer
ence was called suddenly, but the officials
responding represented nearly every
branch of organized labor in the United
states. Those present were Samuel Com
pers, president of the American Fedora
ton of Labor; NJ. l.. Ratchford, national
president of the United Wine Workers of
America; M. NJ. Garland, president of the
Amalgamated Association Of Iron and
Steel Workers; Stephen Madden, secretary
of the Amalgamated association; ]. M.
Hughes, vice president of the Federation
OF Metal Trades; NJ. J. Counahan, national
secretary of the Journeyman Plumbers
Association; NJ. p. Carrick, president of
the Brotherhood of Painters and Decora-
tors; ID. r. Thomas, president of the Ma
uonal Pattern Makers League; W. B. Ma
hon, president of the Amalgamated Asso-
citation OF Street Railway Employees; Pat
rick )olan, district president United Mine
WORKERS of America, and W. NJ. Warner.
district secretary of the United Mine
Workers.
The session was secret and it was almost
midnight before il was over. The press
committee, Messrs. Gompers, Ratchford
and Counahan, then gave out the follow
ing statement In which was incorporated.
they said, all that was done at the confer
ence The manifesto follows:
After an informal discussion renorts
were made by Aiessrs. Ratchford. DoIan
ana Warner in regard to the situation of
the movement, and it demonstrated that
the situation in West Virginia required
attention in orderuth that the SUSPENSION
should be absolutely general and success
assured. With that necessity in view
actlon was recommended by President
Gompers Of the American Federation of
LABOR and 1t was determined to overcome
this feature of the contest. 1t was also
determined that every effort be made on
tne part or those present to secure the
cooperation and practical aid of organized
Aabor for the struggling miners. All the
circumstances warrant the firm conviction
.tnat the miners will ultimately achieve
victory, and to this end the aid of labor
ana the sympathetic public ia invoked
Conscious of the great interest which the
pubic mas in contest so widespread. as
that OF the miners, 1t gives us great salts
1actlon TO know that the miners have not
been and are not now opposed to arbitra.
ton. We, therefore, urge and advise that
conference be held by the representatives
a
view of arriving at a settlement of the
present suspension"
Notwithstanding the positive announce
ment by the committee that the state
ment furnished the press covered all the
proceedings Of the conference, Il is known
that an organized effort to secure a gem
eral suspension of mining in West Vir-
ginia was decided upon After a thorough
canvass of the situation, Il was unani-
mously agreed that the West Virginia
miners held the key to the situation ana
Witht-s their united support the success
OF the general movement would be greatly
jeopardized. In furtherance of this de-
termination, the officials present pledged
themselves to send into this field a full
quota Of the best organizers I'm their sew
eral associations.
After adjournment IN response TO n
question whether a two per cent assess
ment on all organized labor, as conten-
plated would be made, President DolaD
OF the Pittsburg district, said he thought
such action would eventually be taken. He
would not admit. however, that the matter
OF assessment had been considered al to-
nights conference, or that the question OF
general sympathetic strike had been
discussed