Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-07-30
ANOTHER CONFERENCE.
kabor leaders Gather at wheeling.
md Consider Strike Situation.

and Consider Strike Situation.
Wheeling, w. Va, July 2S.-What is
declared to be the most important and
largest gathering of the heads of labor
Organizations of America ever held is
now in session in this city. 1T is the
conference Of labor leaders called last
week by President NJ. d. Ratchford, of
the United Mine Workers, and approved
by President Gompers, of the American
Federation of Labor, of which the
miners organization is part. The
purpose of the conference is to aid in
speedy and successful termination of
the great coal strike. Sessions of the
conference were held during the day
aud night, but until the night session
was held little had been accomplished.
Twenty officials of various la
Dor organizations are present. The first
session of the conference was held at
one o'clock on the arrival of Messrs.
Ratchford and Pears from Columbus.
On motion of Mr.. Sovereign, Mr.. Com
pers was chosen to preside and Secre-
tary Morrison, also Of the federation,
was made secretary. Chairman Com
pers then called upon the miners rep,
resentatives to detail the situation.
They were also asked to suggest in
what manner the other laboring organ
izations could give their aid. President
Ratchford, of the miners, addressed the
conference at some length, stating fully
the causes that had led to the suspen-
sion of work in the bituminous regions
and presented the conditions of the
miners who are taking part in the
strike. He did not propose anything in
the way accommodation as to what
the organized labor of the country
should do in aid of the strike, prefer
ring that important subject to be left
TO the consideration of the conference.
An appeal for aid was made in general
way.
w. C. Pears, Patrick Dolan and T. L..
Lewis also addressed the conference
speaking in the same strain. In the
course Of their remarks it was brought
out that the miners believe that the
hardest fight should be made at the
works Of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh
Coal company DeArmit's mines) il
the Pittsburgh district. This was con-
sidered fully as important point as
the West Virginia district. At this
point a recess was taken for dinner.
Afternoon Session.
Upon reassembling at $3.50 o'clock
the conference again took up the strike
question. Messrs. Mahon, Rea and
Debs, who have been at work in the
Fairmont district; Mr.. Askew, who is
fresh from the Norfolk & Western
territory, and Mr.. Sovereign, addressed
the meeting, the latter speaking at
some length. The conference was held
behind closed doors. At its close it
was given out that committee of five
bad been appointed to devise a plan
for aiding the miners which would be
reported at the night session.
Issue an Appeal.
The night session of the conference
opened at eight O'Clock and was still
in session at midnight. The report of
the special committee to devise ways
and means to aid the miners made its
report. Thsereport is an appeal to the
country to assist the miners.
Mbge Ihiaoas Miners strike.
Roek Island, H., July 2s.-atiners en-
paogeF IN what are known as country
mines near Coal Valley, Rock Island
county, numbering about 100 men,
struck, Tuesday. These miners have
been working under an agreement with
the operators that no orders except
those of the regular patrons of the
mines should be filed. Committees
from Spring Valley and neighboning
coal fields visited the Coal Valley men
on Monday, and in consequence of their
missionary work the latter abandoned
| the SHIFTS.