Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-09-09

coufsrsncs n Ala % lGiners - Held
~ %. Loute.
In . speech 1t IRE coafeence of labor
leaders In 81. Lsuh n. ID. Ratchford,
president Of the Unitei Nine Workers Of
America, advocated q great sympathetic
strike Of all branches OF organized labor
Iaborers relief and wiped out the laws
which empowered the judiciary Ito con-
duct government by Injunction"
The forces Of labor met at Masonic
Temple At 10 o'clock Monday morning H.
w. Steinbiss, secretary OF the Trades and
Labor Union, occupied the chair. No
business was done at this session, re-
cess being taken until IL o'clock. About
200 men composed the convention At III
o'clock Sheridan Webster Nominated w.
b. Prescott, president OF the International
Typographical Union, for temporary
chairman. His election was unanimously
adopted and was greeted with applause.
Chairman Prescott then appointed a COM
mittee composed OF M. d. Ratchford,
James O'Connel, Graat Luce, J.. r. Sow
creign and w. ID. Mahon.
The Committee ON Credentials made its
report Immediately upon the assembling
OF the conference fer its afternoon SEES
sion. 1t was shown that lightweight
delegates, representing the following or
carnations, were represented: United
Mine Workers OF America, the Social De-
nocracy, the American Federation Of La
Dor, the Stonemakers International
Union, Brotherhood of Painters
aud Decorators, Brotherhood of Bot
tle-Blowers, Building Trades Council of
st. Louis, the Patriots of America, Inter
national Brotherhood Of Track Foremen,
the Single-Tax League of America, Cen
tral Labor Council of Cincinnati, the In
ternational Typographical Union, the Peo-
pies party of Kansas and the Industrial
Order OF Freedmen.
Mr.. Ratchford took the floor and went
over the miners strike from its inception
to the present day, dwelling particularly
upon government by injunction" He
pleaded for prompt action, and, coming to
the point of his argument, advocated a
special session of Congress as the best and
in fact the only relief. "In case Of a re-
fusal to convene Congress" said
Mr.. Ratchford, "it will then be time to
consider more extreme measures. l am
I'm favor, il the President refuses to call
Congress together, of complete paralysis
of business. believe then in a sympa-
thetic strike"
Patrick ONeill Of Rich Hill, No., who
said he represented 1900 unorganized
''picks," favored labor revolution. He
was n Socialist, he said, and believed in
the riiners taking things in their own
hands il necessary. Mr.. Sovereign put
himself on record as opposed to Mr..
Ratchford's plan. He believed that the
crucial test now confronted organized la
Dor. Mr.. Mahon Of Detroit said resolu-
tons committee was useless. The con-
vention should vote on Ratchford's porpo-
sition, and then go home. The power of
the nation, he said, was in the courts, and
If anybody was to be convened let it be
the courts. He was opposed to Mr.. Ratch-
ford's proposition. James M. Carson, pres
ident of the Illinois miners, then recited
Mt great length the conditions confronting
the miners of his State, and said he be-
lieved his men would be beaten in two
weeks.
NJ. Ratchford took exception to Mr..
Carson's statement that the Illinois min
ers lad lost their strike. He said the
miners were winning their strike, and,
further more, his men were not asking this
convention for aid.
At 9 o'clock the convention adjourned
until Tuesday morning at 8 o'clock.