The record-union., 1897-09-01

men Of the country are unarmed and
defenseless, contrary to the words and
spirit of the Constitution of the United
States; therefore, be it
Resolved %, That we hereby set
apart Friday, the third day of Septen-
Der, 1897, as a Good Friday for the
cause of suffering labor in America,
and contribute the earnings of that day
to the support Of our struggling broth
ers, the miners, and appeal to every
union man and every friend of labor
throughout the United States to do
likewise.
Resolved (2), That if the strike of
the miners is not settled by the 10th
of September 1897, and upon a notice
to that effect by the President Of the
United Mine Workers, a general con-
vention be held at Chicago on Mon
day, September 27, 1897, by the repre-
sentatives of all unions, branches,
lodges, and kindred organizations of
laboring n&en and friends of their cause,
for the purpose of considering further
measures in the interests of the strik-
ing miners and labor in general.
Resolved 90, That we consider fS>s
use of the ballot as the best and safest
means for the amelioration of the hard
ships under which the laboring classes
suffer
Resolved "a, That the public own
ership of all railroads is one of the most
necessary reforms of our body polite.
Resolved 90, That we most emphat-
ically protest against government by
injunction, which plays havoc with
even political liberty.
Resolved 90, That no nation in
which the people are to disarm can
long remain a free nation, and there
fore we urge upon all hberty-loving
citizens to remember and obey Article
II. of the Constitution of the United
States, which reads as follows: The
right to bear arms shall not be in
fringed.''' .
AS soon as the platform was before
the convention a dozen delegates were
upon their feet clamoring for recogni-
ton. One delegate wanted to change
the date of the Chicago conference to
October 10th, claiming the day pro-
posed was too early
Delegate Osborne of Atlanta, Ga, Of
fered a resolution to the effect that it
was the sense of the meeting that un-
employed men in the United States
should apply for admission to the poor
house of their respective counties.
No action was taken on this resolu-
ton, and the convention went into a
desultory manner regarding the debate
Mr.. Mahon of Detroit moved the linn
it of debate be five minutes He said:
Il am tired of this thing of talking and
talking, and the advancement of polit-
NJ. Mahon's motion was amended to
read ten minutes by Mr.. Ratchford, and
was agreed to.
Mr.. Osborne introduced an amendment
to the platform to the effect that, as
the country should take care Of it's un-
employed, the striking miners and
other laborers of the country apply to
the authorities of their respective
counties for admission to the poor
house, and again oratory was in full
swing. There was no particular at
tention paid to the motion before the
convention, and the delegates turned
themselves loose.
Mr.. Clemens of Kansas, a member of
the Committee on Resolutions, and who
was expected to bring in a minority re-
port enlivened the proceedings by a.
witty speech. This is the tamest ag-
gregation of wild animals I ever saw
together" was his opening remark. He
expressed dissatisfaction at the mild
measures presented for the relief of the
labor trouble in general, and said he
was ashamed to go home and tell his
people what they were trying to do or
what they had done. "Give me liber-
ty," said Mr.. Clemens, with much grav-
ity, 'or I'll take up a collection"
Peter O'Neill of the Rich Hill (Mo)
Mine, said he inferred from the talk
that there were two resolutions. One
was, Resolved, That the miners should
be paupers," and the other, Resolved,
That the miners We're paupers" Mr..
O'Neill took up the entire ten minutes,
but offered no amendment.
Mr.. MahOn pleaded for something
practical and quick action. He wanted
relief for the suffering miners. Let
the theories come later. He was op-
posed to Mr.. Osborne's poor house,
resolution, and ''let US put up our dol
lars for the miners"
Mr.. RatchfOrd took the convention
to task for getting off the subject. He
said the miners should not ask for aid
that was not the object IF the conven-
ton. He protested against Mr.. Os-
borne's resolution, and said the con-
ference should endeavor to settle the
paramount question of government by
injunction.
MIR. OsbOrne's amendment was lost
unanimously. and the attempt to
change the date of the collection for
the striking miners from September Sd
to 9TH was defeated.
M. Clayborne of Springfield, Mo-,
moved to strike out the second resolu-
ton of the platform calling for a mass
convention in Chicago
Fl. II. Williams of St. Louis presented
a substitute for Mr.. Clayborne's mo-
ton t. strike out the plank calling for
the Chicago convention, and provide for
a cOnvening of a labor congress in st.
Louis on September Goth.
Without action the convention ad-
journad until , O'Clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The delegates We're eager for work
and the afternoon session was set in
motion promptly at o'clock.
After considerable talk. Mr. Will
liams, a st. Louis delegate, endeavored
to have the coming convention held in
st. Louis. 1t was decided that the mat
ter should remain as introduced in the
platform, and the labor congress win
be held in Chicago on Monday, Sep
tember 9th.
The third plank in the platform was
amended by the use of the word prop
err before use of the ballot" and the
resolution now reads as follows:
Resolved, That we consider the
proper use of the ballot as the best and
safest means for the amelioration of
the hardships under which the labor