The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-01
LABORTALKERSI IN ST.LOUIS
CALL ON MINERS IN FoUR STATES
TO LAY DOWN THEIR TOOLS.

~ IN
-
Sovereign shouts THAT, by the Co.'s, the People
Will Abolish the Courts ana ReorganiHo
This Government-Ho Will Wrap Himself
in the Flag aud Will Shrek for Liberty.
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 31.-The Labor Convention
met, passed resolutions, and adjourned. It
also resolved to meet again In Chicago on Sept.
81, when IL IL believed there will DO moro pres
emit to aid in the deliberations. The most i'm
portant action taken to-day was the call upon
tho working miners of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa,
and Kentucky to lay down their tools land
walk out.
This course disposes Of the report circulated
in the East that the end Of the strike is in sight,
q settlement to be effected by tho miners ac'
cepting the 6i-cent scale for the Pittsburg dis.
trict and a proportionatc figure for other dis
tricts pending arbitration. President Ratch-
ford of the United Mine Workers Of America,
when seen by a Sun correspondent with refer
ence to the report, said II was untrue. ut is all
rot!' he said. ''There is no foundation for the
statement that w have accepted any such n
proposition. 1t Is true the operators have Of
fered to settle on a 6I-cent basis, bu' that offer
was made several days ago. 1t was rejected.
Their offer is still open and will come before our
Legislative Committee on Wednesday, when
We will meet In Columbus. l leave for there
tonight. We will not discuss a settlement on
the 6+-cent basis. The operators offer that and
consent to discuss a settlement on the 69.cent
basis, which 70 demand"
Eugene v. Debs said: II do not believe any
thing will come of the meeting at Columbus.
The proposals for u compromise, as l under
stand it. come from the Ohio operators and do
not appear to cover tho entire country. The
miners have submitted an ultimatum OF 80
cents and after that there is really nothing to
compromise. They must meet the general do
mand, and the concession must come not only
from Ohio, but from other States. 1 have.not
heard that the proposition to settle emanates
from Mr.. Hanna
Mr.. James X. Sovereign said: How could
such a settlement be brought about when none
of the labor leaders is herei l am confident
that no settlement has been reached, nor will
one be had on the basis Of "a cents"
At this mornings session the convention de-
bated u report from the committeeon resolutions
and plans of action concerning the future course
OF the miners strike. The report set apart Fri
day, Sept. 3, as a day on which all labor organiza.
tons and their friends shall contribute to the
relief Of the miners. 1t further declared that II
the strike be not ended by Sept. 90 a mass con-
vcntion be held at Chicago on Sept. % to con.
slider the course then 10 be pursued. 1t inveighed
at length against government by federal in
junction" and called attention in a threatening
manner TO that provision of the Federal Consti.
lullOu prONlulIR ludL CAllLens ndNc LILO ElBuJ "
During the discussion E; V. Debs and J. R.
OF extreme dissatisfaction with the committees
report, most of the speakers arguing that IT
was AL sound and fury: signifylns nothing
violence, but they were not enthusiastically re-
ceived, since they failed to make 1t clear who
and what were to be aimed at The section os
the report providing for a collection to support
the miners was adopted. Its scope can only BIO
realized when the figures are considered, Mr..
Ratchford said there are 1900. 900 union labor
ers in the country. One days pay of these la
Ratchford thought the number of laborers
may be 1000, 900, which would increase tho
amount to over So, 900. 900.
The morning session adjourned with a dis.
cussion of the resolution still pending, and this
was resuined in the afternoon. The main 94es,
held in st. Louis or Chicago. Finally the latter
city was, chosen, The convention then adopted
was reached declaring for government owner;
ship OF mines. Then the Single Takers and
Populists and Social Democrats got in their
work.
ment ownership to railroads. farm lands. town
lots, corporations; and all natural monopo;ies,
the ha'n re MoS t1sea touching Federal injanctions
was considered. Mr.. Sovereign said:
ut ought to go out from this convention to
of the Federal courts must be violated. Let the
Marshals and Sheriffs incarccrate you. We
injunctions under foot. / want this .oonven.
ton to rise to the dignity OF citizenship for once.
l want us to sound 1t throughout the nation
that, by the gods. the people will abolish sour
courts and reorganize this Government. Lot
there be enthroned a referendum, so that q jury
Behind the injunctfons stand the rifles. the
Calling guns, and all the murderers money can
buy. Let us meet them with guns. | do not
want to tear down the flag or the institutions Of
my country. l only want to re-establish free
government. Let us wrap ourselves in tho
Stars and Stripes OF the republic and declare
that, by the gods, we will. we must. have liberty
in this country
The speech aroused the convention to a pitch
of enthusiasm it had not known until that mo-
ment. Then a cry went up Tor pebs and pande-
monium prevailed. He responded in the same
vein as Sovereign. and after wild excitement
and much noise the remainder OF the report was
considered and adopted and the convention ad-
journed. Tonight Debs addressed a large
crowd at Masonic Hall.