The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-28
Executives of the Unions
Issue a Manifesto of
Sympathy.
Big MASS MEETINGS.
They Are to Be Held All
Over the Country on
August 5 to Make a Pro-
test.

WHEELING. w. Va, July 27.-The
conference of labor leaders adjourned
just as the capitol clock struck the
midnight hour. 1t was decided that
President Gompers should act as a
committee of one in arranging for SYM
pathetic mass meetings all over the
country on Aug. 5. Officers of Ameri-
can Federation of Labor were request
ed to communicate with union organi-
zations as to what shall be done to
further the plan outlined in tonight's
appeal. Officers Of the United Mine
Workers are to arrange for the syste-
matte work of 100 labor organizers in
West Virginia, in which state and
pennsylvania renewed efforts to make
the strike general will be made. The
railway brotherhoods, except the en-
glneers, are in hearty sympathy with
the movement to make the strike eff
fective
WHEELING, w. Va, July 27.-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 M. D. Ratch-
ford, of the United Mine Workers and.
approved by President Gompers. of the
American Federation of Labor of
which the miners organization is q
part Ihe purpose of the conference
is TO aid in a speedy and successfuI
termination OF the great coal strike.
sessions OF the conference were held
turing the day and tonight, but until
tne hlght session was held little had
oeen accomplished. Among the leaders
present are: Samuel Gompers. of New
1orK, president of the American Fed
eratlon OF Labor; Frank Morrison. of
Cnlcago, secretary of the federation:
M II. Ratchford, of Columbus, presi
dent OF the United Mine Workers of
america, and E. V. Debs, of Chicago
former head of the American Railway
union. "'
Inc hrst session of the conference
was held at o'clock, on the arrival of
Messrs. Ratchford and Pearse from
columbus. On motion of Mr.. Sovar-
elgn, Samuel Gompers was chosen r.
preside and Secretary Morrison o1so
OF the federation, was made secre+orI,
chairman Gompers then called uno,,
the miners representatives to detaiI
the situation. They were also asked m
Suggest III what manner the o+bor
laoor1ng organizations could give tbair
aid. e-'e 'Helr
fresloent Ratchford, of the miners
auoressed the conference at Soma
lehstn' stating fully the causes thai
iiau leo 10 the suspension of work in
the pltumlnous regions and presented
the codlt1ons of the miners who ara
taxing part in the strike. He did not
propose anything in the way of recon-
mendations as to what the ORGANIZED
LABOR OF the country could do in o;d
OF the strike, preferring that imnorta NJ
subject to be left to the considara+io,,
of the conference. An appea1 for 90
was made in a general wav.
w. c. Pearse, Patrick Dolan and m
l.. Lewis, also addressed the confer.
ence' speaking in the same strain. In
the course of their remarks if was
Drought out that the miners believe
that the hardest fight should be made
at the works of the Cleveland & Pitts
purg Coal company Oearmitt's mine)
IN the Pittsburg district This was con-
sldered fully as an important point as
the West Virginia district. At this
point recess was taken for dinner.
Upon reassembling at 2:3O 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 and Mr..
Sovereign addressed the meeting, the
latter speaking at some length. The
conference was held behind closed
doors. At it's close it was given out
that a committee of f1ve had been ap-
pointed to devise a plan for aiding the
miners which would be reported at the
night session.
The night session of the conference
opened at o'clock. The special COM
mittee to devise ways and means to
aid the miners made its report. The
following manifesto was issued from
the conference room at 11:30:
A wall of anguish, mingled with despera-
ton, arises from the bowels of the earth
and the miners cry for relief, for some degree
OF justice, touches responsive chord in the
heartS and conscienceS of the whole people
The miners are confronted with a condition
by which even their scanty earnings are de-
MED them through the company ''pluck-m me
stores, which out-Shylock the worst fea-
lures of nefarious system, and are stig-
ma on the escutcheon of our country and a
blot our civilization.
we, lne representatives or the trades unions
and of all organized labor of the United
States in convention assembled to consider
the pending struggle Of the miners for wages
sufficient to enable them to live and enjoy
at least some degree of the necessities of
life, are determined to forever put a stop to
the state af starvation in which they are now
engulfed.
The miners live in novels, unable to buv
sufficient bread to ward off starvation; in
many cases not sufficiently clothed to cover
their nakedness, and their children unfit to
attend school because of lack of food and
clothing, making them danger to the future
stability of our republic We feel assured
that all men and women who love their own
families, or who have one particle Of human
sympathy for their fellows, cannot fail to
give all the aid in their power to enable the
miners to win their present battle.
The representatives of the miners have been
their fundamental right of public assembly
and free speech, to present to the world their