The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-09
THE MINERS DISAGREE
THE COLUMBUS CONVENTION ADJOURNS
UNTIL TODAY WITHOUT VOTING.
Illinois Holds Out Against DoIan's Compromise
as Illinois Operators viii Not be Bound
by Pittsburg Settlement

Columbus, Ohio, Sept. S.-The Inter
STATE mine convention adjourned tbis
evening until tomorrow morning without
having taken a vote on the ouestion of
accepting or rejecting the proposed set
tlement of the strike.
ne prospects for acceptance are
somewhat doubtful; in fact canvass
of the situations shows a majority of
the votes, unless some change should
be brought about, will be cast against
1t. The greater part of the afternoon
session OF the convention was secret.
the delegates listening to speeches from
NATIONAL President Ratchford and
State Presidents Farms, Ohio; Knight,
Indiana; Carson, Illinois, and Dolan.
Pittsburg. All OF these officials. with
the exception of Mr.. Carson, argued
in favor of the acceptance of the Pitts
burg operators proposition.
They told the delegates very plainly
that If the proposition was rejected the
strike would fail utterly; that the con-
test could not be continued as all res
ources had been exhausted They adj
vised that inasmuch as the strike had
been precipitated in the Pittsburg dis
trict 1T was very proper that it should
be settled there. President Carson, of
Illinois, told the delegates just as plain
ly why he could not support the pro-
position for settlement. The opera
tors of his State had notified him that
they would not abide by any settlement
made with the Pittsburg operators.
Should the Pittsburg and Ohio and In
diana miners resume Operation, the Hi
nois operators would be compelled to
open their mines also, and the only re-
course of the miners of the State would
have would be local strike, for which
they were unprepared. The best they
could do would be to accept the opera
tors terms and that would eventually
force reduction again in the other dis
tricts.
The most important action of the
convention to-day was in determining
the basis of representation. Some of the
delegates wanted rule that no delegate
should be allowed to cast more than six
votes. This, however, if adopted, it is
claimed, would have settled the ques-
ton of the acceptance OF the strike settle
ment very quickly. 1T was the senti-
ment of the convention, however, that
should be fixed so that all
miners have a voice in the settlement.
Accordingly, it was decided that one
vote should be cast for every one hun
dred miners represented. This makes
the votes to be cast by each State about
as follows:
Western Pennsylvania, $780, Ohio, $50;
West Virginia, no; Indiana, GO; Hi
nois, 200.
The Illinois vote, which will be cast
against the acceptance of the operators
proposition, will about offset the vote
of Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburg
district.) The vote of Ohio is about
equally divided on the proposition; also
the West Virginia vote. This practical
ly leaves the balance of power in the
hands of the Indiana delegates. Should
they vote with Illinois, which some OF
the delegates say they have instructions
to do, by inference, il not by direct Ian
guage, the proposed settlement will I'M
doubtedly be defeated. 1t develops to-
night that the vote of the Pittsburg dis
trict will not be unanimous III favor or
accepting the settlement as some OF the
delegates have stated openly they would
not vote for it. The leaders of the
miners are doing some quiet missionary
work tonight and have hopes that they
will be able to turn the tide in favor or
n settlement. Tomorrow the members
Of the national executive board will be
heard by the convention and as they all
strongly endorse the settlement, their
views may have considerable weight with
the delegates.