The Topeka state journal., 1897-07-10
Great Conference of Labor
Leaders Held Last Night,
At Which Arbitration of the
Pending Strike Was Urged.
W. VIRGINIA THE KEY.
Unless the Miners of West Vir-
ginia Can be Got Out
The Success of the Movement
is in Danger.

Pittsburg, Pa, July 10.-The greatest
gathering of labor leaders that ever as
sembled in this country during ma
tional strike was held in this city last
night to devise means to assist the min
ers in their contest for increased wages.
The conference was called suddenly, but
the officials responding represented
nearly every branch of organized labor
in the United States. Those present
were Captain Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor; M. d.
Ratchford, national president of the
United Mine Workers; NJ. M. Garland,
president of the Iron and Steel Work
ers; Stephen Madden, secretary of the
Amalgamated association; j. NJ.
Hughes, first vice president of the Fed
GRAFTON of Metal Trades; NJ. J. Cauna-
han, national secretary of the Journey
men Plumbers association; M. P. Car
rick, president of the Brotherhood of
Painters and Decorators; L. R. Thomas,
president of the National Patternmak-
ers' league; Patrick Dolan, district
president of the United Mine Workers
of America, and w. NJ. Warner, district
secretary of the United Mine Work
ers.
owing to the inability of President
Ratchford to reach Pittsburg until
after 6 o'clock, it was nearly o'clock
before the meeting convened. The Ses-
sion was secret and it was almost mid
night before it was over.
The press committee, GomperS, Ratch-
ford and -Caunahan, then gave out the
following statement which incOrporat-
ed, they said, all that was done at the
conference. The statement follows:
after an informal discussion, re-
ports were made by Messrs. Ratchford,
Dolan and Warner in regard to the sit
uatiOn of the movement, and it was
demonstrated that the suspension was
practically general in the competitive
bituminouS coal district, extending also
to Kentucky and Tennessee, excepting
a few points in West Virginia. 1t was
realized that the situation in West Vir-
ginia required attention in order that
the suspension should become absolute
ly general and success assured. With
that object in view action was recon-
mended by President Gompers, and it
was determined upon to overcome this
feature of the contest.
TT was also determined that every
effort be made on the part of those
present to secure the cooperation and
practical aid of organized LABOR Tor the
struggling miners. All the circum-
stances warranted the firm conviction
that the miners will finally achieve vic
tory and to this end the aid of labor
and the sympathetic public is invoked.
Conscious of the great interest which
the public has in a contest so wide
spread as that of the miners, it gives
us great satisfaction to know that the
miners have not been and are not op-
posed to arbitration. We, therefore,
urge and advise that a conference be
held by representatives of the miners
and operators with the view of arriV
ing at a settlement of the present sus-
pension"
Notwithstanding the positive an
nouncement by the committee that the
statement furnished the press covered
all the proceedings of the conference,
it is known that an organized effort
to secure the suspension of mining in
West Virginia was decided upon. After
a canvass of the situation it was unan-
imously agreed that the West Virginia
miners held the key to the situation and
without their support the success of the
movement would be greatly leopard
lied In furtherance of this determin-
alton the officials pledged themselves
to send into this field a full quota of
the best organizers in their several as
sociations.
After adjournment, in response to the
question whether a two per cent
assessment on all organized labor, as
contemplated, would be made, Presi
dent Dolan of the Pittsburg district
said he thought such action would
eventually be taken. He would not
admit. however, that the matter of as
sessment had been considered at the
conference or that the question of
general sympathetic strike had been
discussed.