Evening star., 1897-07-27
AFTER WEST VIRGINIA MtiN.
Notable Gathering of Labor Leaders
mt Wheeling Today.

erOus labor organizations OF the country,
called to meet in Wheeling at noon To-
day for the purpose of considering ways
and means 10 win the great coal strike. mas
been delayed in getting TO work on account
of the failure of President Ratchford of the
coal miners 10 arrive early this morning.
as was expected. Though Gompers. Debs,
Sovereign and other big leaders are here,
they are like ship WITHOUT a rudder, for
none of them is acquainted with the strike
situation as is the executive head of the
mners' organization.
Thuxc Who Were Present.
Amorg those who We're here this morn
ing for the conference of labor leaders were
j. B. Lemon of Bloomington, ILL.,. president
OF the Custom Tailors Union. Samuel Com
rers OF Washington. president of the Amerl-
tan Federation of Labor; w. d. Mahon of
Detroit president of the Street Railway
Employees Union: John f. Sovereign OF
Arkansas. president of the knights OF
Labor; y H. Morrisy of Peoria, III, OF
the Trainmen'S Organization, John W. Sal-
hvan OF Baltimore, president of the Paint
ers and Decorators Union: Martin Fox oi
Cincinnati. president of the Iron Molders:
]. W Rea of the Painters. Jesse Johnson
of Nashville of the Pressmen's Union, Jas
Carey of Nashville of the Typographical
Union and Secretary Frank Morrison OF
the American Federation OF Labor. Others
arrived uuFlDS the diltTIIOO!.
Conference Is Secret.
The conference is secret. Efforts are be-
ing made to interest all unions in the coal
strike. Conservative leaders say the ut
ncst that can be accomplished at the con-
ference is to assess a tax on all OF the
various organizations TO maintain the
striking coal miners Debs and Mahon
want all TO come out.
! pr.sidcpf RatcG ford Arrives.
On the arrival of President Ratchford at
noon the conference assembled at Traders
Assembly Hail. with President Samuel
Gompers in the chair. All outsiders are eX-
ciudet!, but a statement will be given out
after adjournment. which will be probably
late this afternoon. President NJ NJ. Car
land OF the Amalgamated Association has
just arrived.
Reports received by the strike leaders
this morning do not bear out the situation
they depicted last night on what they
claimed reliable advices that over one-haif
OF the West Virginia miners were oU,, and
il is seen that another and even more de-
terrnined effort must be ma1e To bring
about general strike in the West Nir-
ginia fields.
Considering General Assessment.
The leaders are now considering the i'd
visibility of Ievying a general assessment
on all organized labor for the maintenance
of the strike and striking miners. Some of
the leaders say that in the event it is seen
20 be impossible to bring about a general
strike in West Virginia. the conductors
fremen and brakemen will be asked to :e-
fuse to man trains carrying the West V.r-
giE:a coal.
This measure. however, is a last resort
and Is d weapon that will probably aot be
used until nearly every thing is tried and
fails. Already it is settled that on result
of the Wheeling conference will be he
hooding of the West Virginia coal fields
with miners organizers. The officials and
organizers of nearly all the union organIza-
ticns OF the country VIII join forces with
the urited mine workers in the effort to
organize the West Virginians and bring
them cut.