Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-28
LEADERS MEET
uu,.y CONSIDER WAYS AND MEANS
or AIDING COAL STRIKERS.
rOyFERENCE OF NINE OPERATORS.
81 Ucnd Causes "a Sensation by
charging Unfair Procedure and
,.tuup the Convcntion-StriI<c
s,,,,,tion-Nrbiirato Active.

o,.. is declared TO De the most
.,-tant and largest gathering Of
heads OF labor organizations
., America ever held. is now in session
t4 city. II IS composed Of
'l.- leaders, called last week by
,....5.rt NJ u. Ratchford, OF the
'...,1 Nunc-Workers. and approved by
,..,f.rt Gompers. OF the American
r..-.ron o. Labor Of which the
miners organization IS part The pur-
.,., of tho conference IS TO aid in a
.s, and successful termination OF
49,. .rs,t coal strike. Sessions OF the
.-...r.rco were held during tho day and
Oh. r.srt. but until the night session
t..i. had been accomplished.
T.a following labor leaders are pre-
s.-t mucl Gompers. OF New York.
1,,...lsrt OF the American Federation
.,t.b8r: Frank Morrison, Chicago. Sec
,...r, az the Federation; NJ. j. Ratch-
o.. Columbus. President OF the United
,r..-Vorkers Of America; w. c. Pears.
columbus. secretary Of the miners or
..,.,.tlon. T.. H. Morrissey. Peoria. H.,
.. Tranmen: W. j.. Mahon De-
,t President Of the street Railway
Union. j. r.. Sovereign. President Of the
Knights of Labor; James III. Sullivan,
p.limorc President Of the InterEa-
,l...I Association Of Decorators and
painters: j. B. Lennon. Bloomington,
T President OF the Custom Tailors'
Union. j.. +. Mulholland, Toledo. Presi-
don't Of the international Union OF
r.ryclc- Workers. Jesse Johnson, Nash
,ur President Of the international
Printing Pressmen's Union; Theodore
Perry. Nashville, President Of the Inter
rational Typographical Union; Robert
As.cw. Ishperaing. Mich. Secretary Of
tb, National Mineral-Workers William
Mckinney. Lafayette. Ind; President OF
,f. Painters Union; j. w. Rea. Chicago
President OF the Painters and Decora-
tors Union: G. W. Perkins, Chicago
President Of tho international Tobacco
Workers Union; Patrick Doian PITS
burg. President of the Pittsburg District
Miners. NJ. NJ. Garland Pittsburg, Presi-
dent Of the Amalgamatcd Association
~ Iron. Steel and Tin-Workers; {. II.
wilkins. Chicago, Assistant Grand Chief
0f the order of Railway Conductors;
L. T. Sergeant. Peoria, ILL.,. Grand Mas
Ter OF the Brotherhood Of Railway FIRE
men: Val. Fitzpatrick, Columbus, Third
Vice President of the brotherhood OF
Railway Trainmen. y. l.. Lewis, Bridge
port. o.. Secretary Of the Ohio Miners
ORGANIZATION, r. Y. Dcbs, Chicago, FORM
orly head OF the American Halfway
Union; j. Kunzelor. Pittsburg, Secre-
tary OF the American Fint-Glass-W Work
ers' Union; w H. Riley Wheeling Pres
nont Of the National Stogie-Workers
League: NJ Il. Carck Pittsburg, Sccre-
tary Of the Painters organization; j. ).
Counaghan, Of Pittsburg, Secretary ana
Treasurer of the National Plumbers and
Gas-Fitters' Union
GOMPERS PRESIDES.
Tho first session Of the conference was
held at l o'clock, on the arrival oi
Alessrs. Ratchford and Pears from Co
lumbus. ON motion Of Mr.. Sovereign
Samuel Gompers was chosen TO preside
and Secretary Morrison. also Of the fede-
ration. was made secretary.
Chairman Gompers then called upon the
miners representatives, TO detail the stu
auon They We're also asked TO suggest
fin what manner the other laboring or
qlnizations could give their aid. Presl-
dent Ratchford. OF the miners, addressed
the conference at some length, stating
f1lv the causes that had led TO the sus-
pcnslou of work I'm the bituminOus re-
eous. and presented the conditions OF
The miners who are taking part in the
strike.
He did not propose anything i'm the way
of recommendation ass 10 what the OF"
rarIzed labor Of the country should do
n aid of the strike preferring that that
important subject should be left TO the
consideration of the conference. An APP
r..i for aid was made in general way.
vs.. G.. Pears. Patrick Dolan, and 7. i.
Lewis also addressed the conference,
Speaking ln the same strain. In the
course of their remarks il was brought
cot that the miners believe that the hard
e.t febt should be made at the works Of
Goo Cleveland and Pittsburg Coal COM
Iny de Armitts mines, IN the PITTS
burg District. This was considered fully
as Important a point as the West Nir-
EIl District. Al this point recess
Ut- taken for dinner.
Tulu reasscmbIiug at 2:SO o'clock, the
conference again took up the strike ques-
to. Messrs. MahOn, Rea, and Debs.
who have been at work i'm the Fairmont
District: Mr.. Askcw. who is fresh from
u. Norfolk and Western territory, and
Mr sovereign addressed the meeting
Ua hst-namcd speaking at some length.
It. conference was held behind closed
do.rs At it's conclusion il was given
OH tn8t "a committee of five had been APP
pointed 90 devise "a plan for aiding the
miners which would be reported at the
us.ts session.
AID FOR STRIKERS.
kilograms pledgng financial aid for
t0 miners were received from nearly all
h heads of organizations that had beck
unable 90 attend on account Of the short
t.uC. Air. Morrison says that the chief
uu 0f the conference viii be 10 effect
suspension of work i'm West Virginia
an. 40 the DE Armitt mines. The con-
ference had not yet come TO the point
believing 30 necessary 10 ask the fire
M... conductors and brakemcn 10 re-
!..e ,o haul West Virginia coal
l1e conference recOuvened at Z. NJ.
SYMPATHETIC MASS-MEETINGS
Ite conference adjourned just as the
capitol clock struck the midnight hour,
having been IN session since 3 o'clock.
u "as decided that President Gompers
i.4l act ass a committee Of one IN
arranging for sympathetic mass-meetinss
al over thc country on August 5th.
IHr officers Of the American Fedora
non oi Labor were requested 10 COM
H-i tte with the Union organizations
d. ,o what shah be done TO further the
lh outlined i'm to-nights appeal. The
DH''fs of thc United Mine Workers are
arrange for the systematic work OF
' labor organizers in West Virginia,
.- which State and Pennsylvania re-
'"el Efforts 20 make the strike gene
i "iA Doe made Che railway brother
'ia except the engineers. are In hearty
sympathy with the movement to make
'.- strike effective.
'"e special committee 10 devise ways
' means TO aid the strikers made it's
.poit The report rs am appeal 10 the
NVlAiry 10 assist the miners
MEETING or OPERATORS.
FIIIsBURG PA, July 27-Eighty-