Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-28
MOST IMPORTANT GATHERING OF
THE KIND EVER HELD.
TO CONSIDER THE COAL STRIKE.
4 BITTER MANIFESTO ISSUED LATE
LAST NIGHT.
Labor Organizations Called Upon TO
send organizers tO West NirEinin
and PennsylVania-NO Boycott
Yet-Mining Operators
Also Meet.

[ cldTeQ 10 bc lne most lmpOFliul anu ldi TX
| est gathering of the heads Of labor orSani-
zatious Of America ever held is now in ses~
| sion in this city. II is the conference Of
| labor leaders called last week by President
NJ. j.. Ratchford, Of the United Mine Work
| err and approved by President GOmpcrs.
of the American Federation Of Labor. Of
which the miners organization is part.
| The purpose Of the conference Is 10 aid ia
4 speedy and successful termination Of the
great coal strike. Sessions OF the confer
| ence were held during the day and tonight
but until the night session was held little
had been accomplished.
The following labor leaders are present:
Samuel GOmpers, Of New York, president
| OF the American Federation Of Labor;
| Frank Morrison, Of Chicago, secretary Of
| the Federation; NJ. d. Ratchford. Of Col
| umbus. president Of the United Mine Work
ers Of America; W. G. Pears. Of Columbus
| secretary of the miners organization;
| =. n. Morrissey. OF Peoria, H., grand mas
| ter of the Brotherhood Of Railway Train
men: W. ID. Mahon. of Detroit. president OF
the Street Railway Union: James r. Sow
ereign, president Of the Knights Of Labor
James II. Sullivan, of Baltimore, president
Of the International Association Of Decora-
tors and Painters; J. y. Lendon. Of Bloom
ingtOn. H.. president Of the Custom Tail
ers' Union: j. +. MulhOlland. OF Toledo
president of the International Union of BIZ
cycle Workers: Jesse Johnson, Of Nashville
Tenn, president Of the International Print
ing Pressmen's Union; Theodore Perry, Of
Nashville. president Of the international
Typographical Union: Robert Askew, OF
Ishpeming Mich. secretary OF the North
ern Mineral Mine Workers; William Nc
Kinney, OF Lafayette, Ind. presi-
dent Of the Painters Union: ].
W. Rae, Of Chicago, president Of the
Painters and Decorators Union; g. W.
Perkins, of Chicago. president of the Inter
national Tobacco Workers Union; Patrick
DoIan, of Pittsburg, president of the Pitts
burg district miners; NJ VI. Garland, Of
Pittsburg, president of the Amalgamated
Association of Iron. Steel and Tin Workers;
c. II. wilkins. of Chicago. assistant grand
chief OF the Order Of Railway Conductors;
+. p. Sargent OF Peoria, ILL.,. grand master
of the Brotherhood Of Railway Firemen;
Val Fitzpatrick of Columbus, third vice
president OF the Brotherhood OF Railway
Trainmen; T. l.. Lewis, of Bridgeport, o.,
secretary of the Ohio Miners organization;
L. V. Debs, OF Chicago. former head of the
American Railway Union; J. Kunzeler. of
Pittsburg. secretary of the American Flint
Glass Workers Union; W. II. Riley, of
Wheeling, president of the National Stogie
Workers League; NJ. P. Carrick. Of Pitts
burg, secretary Of the Painters organiza-
ton; z. J. Counaghan. Of Pittsburg. secre-
tary and treasurer OF the National Plumb
ers and Gasfitters' Union.
The first session of the conference was
held at l o'clock. on the arrival Of Messrs.
RatchfOrd and Pears from Columbus. On
motion OF Mr.. Sovereign, Samuel Gompers
was chosen TO preside and Secretary Nor
rissey, also Of the Federation. was made
secretary.
Chairman Gompers then called upon the
al ffyTag To 40
alton. They were also asked to suggest
in what manner the other labor orGaniza-
tions could give their aid. President Ratch-
ford, of the miners, addressed the con-
ference at some length, stating fully the
causes that had led 10 the suspension of
work in the bituminous regions and pre-
serted the conditions OF the miners who
are taking part in the strike. lie did not
propose anything in the way of recon-
meEdations as to what the organized labor
of the country should do IN aid Of the
strike, preferring that important subject
to be left to the consideration Of the con-
ference.
An appeal for aid was made IN A gem
eraI way W. G. Pears, Patrick Dolan and
T. L. Lewis also addressed the conference.
speaking IN the same strain. In the course
of their remarks IL was brought out that
the miners believed that the hardest fight
should be made at the works of the Cleve-
land and Pittsburg Coal Company DEAR
mit's mincs) in the Pittsburg district. This
was considered fully as important point
as the West Virginia district. At this point
a recess was taken for dinner.
Upon reassembling at go o'clock, the
conference again took up the strike ques-
ton. Messrs. MahOn. Rea and Debs. who
have been at work in the Fairmont dis
trict: Mr.. Askew, who is fresh from the
Norfolk & Western territory. and Mr.. Sow
erelgn, 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
had been appointed TO devise a plan for
aiding the miners, which would be re-
ported at the night session.
kilograms pledging financial aid for
the miners were received from nearly all
the heads Of organizations that had been
unable to attend on account of the short
notice. Mr.. MOrrissey says that the chief
aim of the conference will be to effect a
suspension OF work in West Virginia and
at the DeArmit mines. The conference has
not yet come to the point of believing it
necessary to ask the firemen, conductors
and brakemen TO refuse to haul West ~
ginia coal.
The following manifesto was issued from
the conference room at Il:3O tonight:
- wall OF anguish. mingled with despera-
tion. arises from the bowels OF the earth,
and the miners cry for relief. for some de-
gree Of justice, touches the responsive
chord in the hearts and consciences OF the
whole people DrudEiHg at wages, when
employed. which are inadequate, and por-
tend misery, starvation and slavery. the
miners are confronted with condition by
which their SCant earnings are denied them.
except through the company pluck me
stores which outshylock the worst feat
ures of the nefariOuS system, and are a
stigma on the cscutCheOn OF our country
and a blot on our civilization.
I'VE. the representatives Of 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 TO enjoy At least some degree OF the
necessities or life. are determined to for
ever put a stop to a state OF starvation in
which they are now engulfed. The de-
Dlora BILE condition Of the miners IS well
known to all our people. They live in
hoyels unable 10 buy sufficient bread 10
ward Off starvation. in many cases not
sufficiently clothed to cover their naked
ness and their children unit 10 attend
school because Of lack Of food and clothing,
making them danger to the future sta
bility of our republic. We feel assured
that an men and women who love their
families or who have one spark OF human
sympathy fOT their fellows cannot fail TO
give all the aid in their power 20 enable I
tha miners to win their present battle.
'sThe representatives OF the miners have
been restrained 10y Injunction when eXercis-
ing their fundamental right OF public as
mbly and free speech TO present to the
world their grievances We. as American
rights guaranteed to us under the constitu-
tiou In the ordinary affairs of life all en-
fuy privileges and rights which Constitu-
lions neither confer nor denv but the
frrFH faF