The herald., 1897-07-28
Meet to Consider Strike
Situation
OPERATORS OF COAL MINES
ALSO TACKLE TROUBLESOME
QUESTIONS
Progress Is Slow and the Hoped for
Agreement Has Not Yet Been
Reached
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WHEELING, w. Va, July 27.-what
is declared to be the most important and
largest gathering of the heads Of the
labor organdza tions of America ever held
is now in session in this city. 1t is the
conference of labor leaders called last
week by President M. D. Ratchford Of
the United Mine Workers, and approved
by President Gompers of the American
Federation of Labor, of which the min
ers' organization is a part. The pur-
pose of the conference is to aid in .
speedy and successful termination of the
great coal strike. Sessions Of the con-
ference were held today and tonight
but until the night session was held
little had been accomplished.
The following labor leaders are pres-
ent: Samuel Gompers of New York,
president of the American Federation
of Labor; Frank Morrison of Chicago,
secretary of the federation; M. d.
Ratchford of Columbia, president Of the
United Mine Workers Of America; w.
c. Pearson of Columbus secretary of the
min ers' organization; P. H. Morrissey
of Peoria, ILL.,, grand master Of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen; w.
D. Mahon of Detroit, president Of the
Street Railway union; James H. Sulli-
van of Baltimore, president of the In
terna ational Association of Decorators
and Painters; ]. B. Lindon Of Bloom
| ington, ILL.,, president of the Custom Tail
ors' union; ]. F. Mulholland Of Toledo,
president Of the International Union OF
Bicycle Workers; Jesse Johnson Of
Nashville, Tenn, president of the Inter-
national Printing Pressmen's union;
Theodore Perry of Nashville, president
of the International Typographical
urdon; Robert Askew Of Ishpeming.
Mich, secretary of the Northern Mineral
Mime Workers; William Mckinney Of
Lafayette, Ind, president of the Paint
ers' union; J. W. Rea Of Chicago, pres
ident of the Painters and Decorators
union; j. w. Perkins of Chicago, presi-
dent of the National Tobacco Workers
union; Patrick Dolan of Pittsburg, pres
ident of the Pittsburg district miners;
M. M Garland of Pittsburg, president
Of the Amalgamated Association Of
Steel, Iron and Tin Workers; c. H. VIII
tary of the Order of Railwsv Conduct
ors; Grand Master Sargent OF the Broth
erhood of Railway Firemen; Val Fitz-
patrick of Columbus, third vice presi-
dent of the Brotherhood Of Railway
Trainmen; T. L. Lewis of Bridgeport.
Conn, secretary of the Ohio Miners or
ganization; E. v. Debs of Chicago, for
mer head of the American Railway
| Af tSh
tary of the American Flint Glass Work
erS union; W. H. Riley of Wheeling.
secretary of the National Stogie Work
ers' league; M. P. Carrick of Pittsburg.
secretary of the Painters organizatio
P. ]. Counaghan of Pittsburg. secretary
treas surer of the National Plumbers and
Gasfitters' union.
The first session of the conference was
held at o'clock on the arrival of Messrs.
Ratchford and Pearson from Columbus.
On motion of Mr.. Sovereign, Samuel
Gompers was chosen president and Sec
retary Morrison, also of the Federation,
was made secretary.
| Chairman Gompers then called upon
the miners representatives to detail the
situation. They were also asked to sug-
gest in what manner the other labor or
ganizations could give their aid. Presi-
dent Ratchford of the Miners Union ad-
dressed the conference at some length.
stating fully the causes that had. led to
the suspension of work in the bituminous
regions and presented the conditions of
| the miners who are taking part in the
strike.
w C. Pears not Pearson), Patrick
Dolan and I. L. Lewis also addressed
| Al. -; IN, t1a
strain.
Upon reassembling at 2:39 the confer
ence again took up the strike question.
Messrs. Mahon, Rea and Debs, who have
been at work in the Fairmont district:
Mr.. Askew, who is fresh from the Nor
folk and Western territory, and Mr.. Sow
ereign addressed the meeting. the lat
ter speaking at some length The con-
ference was behind closed doors.
kilograms pledging financial aid for
the miners were received from nearly all
the heads of organizations that had been
unable to attend.
The night session of the conference
was still in session at midnight.
AT midnight nothing additional could
be learned of the further business that
was transacted at the conference.
! A wall of anguish. mingled with des-
peration, arises from the bowels of the
earth and the miners cry for relief, for
some degree of justice, touches the re-
sponsive chord in the hearts. and con-
sciences of the whole people. Drudging
at wages, when employed, which are
inadequate and portend misery, starva-
tion and slavery, the miners are con-
fronted with condition by which their
scant earnings are denied them, except
through the company ''pluck-me stores"
which out-shylock the worst features
of the nefarious system, is stigma on
the escutcheon of our country and blot
on our civilization. We. the representa-
tives of the trades unions and Of all or
ganized labor in the United States, in
convention assembled to consider the
pending struggle of the miners for wages
LII k-.Y