The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-09-10
THE INTERSTATE
Miners Convention Adjourn Until Thurs
day Without Taking Vote-Acceptance
of the Operators Offer Doubtful.

Miners Convention Adjourn Until Thurs
day without Taking Vote-Acceptance
of the Operators Offer Doubtful.
COLUMBUS, O., Sept. 9.-The inter-
state miners convention adjourned
Wednesday evening until Thursday
morning without having taken vote
on the question of accepting or reject
ing the proposed settlement of the
strike.
The prospects for the acceptance of
the settlement are somewhat doubtful,
in fact. a canvass of the situation shows
majority of the votes, unless some
change should be brought about, will
be cast against it. The greater part
of the afternoon session of the
convention was secret, the delegates
listening to speeches from National
President Ratchford and State Presi-
dents Farms, of Ohio; Knight, of Indi-
ana; Carson, of Illinois, and Dolan, of
Pittsburgh. All of the officials, with
the exception of Mr.. Carson, argued in
favor of the acceptance of the Pitts
burgh operators proposition. They
told the delegates very plainly that if
the PROPOSE tion was rejected the strike
would fail utterly; that the contest
could not be continued, as all re-
sources had been exhausted. They
advised that inasmuch as the
strike had been precipitated IN
the Pittsburgh district, it was
very proper that it should be settled
there. President Carson, of Illinois,
told the delegates just as plainly why
1,a could not c,,nnort tho yo,-0,><@e;f;O
for a settlement. He said the Illinois
miners were practically ignored by it.
The operators of his state had notified
him that they would not abide by any
settlement made with the Pittsburgh
operators. In many of the Illinois dis
tricts, moreover, the miners had
signed ironclad contracts which run
until next May. Should the Pitts
burgh, Ohio and Indiana miners resume
operation, the Illinois operators would
be compelled to open their mines also,
and the only recourse the miners of the
state would have would be a local
strike, for which they were unprepared.
The best they could do would be to &C
cept the operators terms, and that
would eventually force a reduction
again in the other states.
The most important action of the
convention Wednesday was in deter
mining the basis of representation.
Some of the delegates wanted rule
that no delegate be allowed to cast
more than six votes This, if adopt
ed, it is claimed, would have
settled the question of the acceptance
of the strike settlement very quickly.
1t was the sentiment of the convention,
however, that representation should
be fixed so that all miners should have
a voice in the settlement. Accordingly,
it was decided that one vote should be
cast for every 100 miners represented.
This makes the votes to be cast by
each state about as follows:
Western Pennsylvania. 23O; Ohio, $50;
West Virginia, 10; Indiana, 60, ILL
nois, 200.
The Illinois vote, which will be cast
against the acceptance of the operators
proposition, will about offset the vote
of western Pennsylvania pittsburgh
district). The vote of Ohio is about
equally divided on the proposition, also
the west Virginia. This practically
leaves the balance of power in the
hands of the Indiana delegates. Should
they vote with Illinois, which some
of the delegates say they have
instructions to do, by inference, if
not by direct language, the proposed
settlement will undoubtedly be
defeated. The Indiana delegates say
they are instructed not to vote in favor
of the operators proposition unless
general settlement will be effected by
it. In view of the position of the
Illinois miners they do not see their
way clear to vote to accept the propo-
sition. 1t develops Wednesday night
that the vote of the Pittsburgh district
will not be unanimous in favor of &C
cepting the settlement, as some of the
delegates have stated openly they
would not vote for it. The leaders of
the miners were doing some quiet
missionary work Wednesday night.