The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-16
THE MEETING OF MINERS
NEARLY EIGHT HUNDRED HERE To
ATTEND THE CONVENTION.
Address Of President Gompers, Of
American observation-disclosures
Session To-day.


annual convention of the United Mine
Workers of America, create in the minds OF
those who have observed them quite diff
ferent impression from that which has
seemed characteristic of miners. Since the
meeting in 1856, when the organization out
of which the present national union grew
was organized. in the old Union Hall, oppo-
site the courthouse, the only personal con-
tact the citizens of Indianapolis have had
with the coal miners of the country has
been at times when delegations would be
sent here to solicit aid for the support of
suffering families of strikers.
The well-dressed, well-fed host of men
who gathered in Masonic Hall yesterday
presented a fine contrast to the local idea
Of the miner. The miners themselves at
tribute their prosperity to the strike of 1897
in particular and to the prevailing pros
porous times in general. There are still.
however many questions at issue between
the miners and the operators. and to these
the miners will devote their time and at
tention during the next three weeks. Next
week they will hold national joint con-
ference with the operators-an unprece-
denied thing. which is pointed to by the
miners with a great deal of pride as an in
suit from such intimate and friendly rela-
tons with their employers.
PRELIMINARY MEETING.
The convention yesterday did not reach
anything in the way of detailed business.
The sessions were open to the public and
were devoted to addresses and the dis
cussion of general topics. In the afternoon
President Samuel Gompers, of the Fedora
ton of Labor, delivered address, and a
telegram was read announcing a victory
for John p. Reese in the case where he
was sentenced to Jail on charge Of con-
tempt of court for addressing a gathering
of striking miners in Kansas
To-day the report of the committee on
credentials will be received. the convention
gramme will begin. A committee on order
of business was appointed yesterday, which
will outline the course the convention shall
pursue from day to day. Thomas M. DAVIS,
of Byesville, O., is chairman of this COM
mittee, and the other members are Barney
Navin, of Harmony, Ind, and Stephen Cor
ven. of Bay City, Mich.
President Gompers, the principal speaker
of yesterday, while he made strong
speech, was disappointment to the miners
in some respects. One of the most absorb
ing topics at present among the miners is
that of government by injunction. This Is
made the more emphatic by the presence
among them at the convention or Mr..
Reese, who but a few days ago was In a
Kansas Jail, charged with contempt OF
court for exercising what the miners de-
clare was but an American citizens right
of free speech. 1t was expected that MT.
Gompers would take this question up and
offer some solution of it and advise organ
lied labor Of plan of procedure at sucn
times as the present among the Kansas
miners He made no reference to the In
teresting subject, however. 1t was also
thought Mr.. Gompers would deal extern
sively with the question OF the right OF tne
Governor of a State to allow the use OF
the militia to aid employers at times when
strikes are in progress. The miners OF Hi
nois and Indiana, who, during the last TWO
years, have had considerable experience
with the militia, were especially anxious 10
hear the president of the Federation OF
Labor express himself on this subject.
A BRIEF HISTORY.
Mr.. Gompers began his address with a
brief history of the birth and growth Of the
United Mine Workers of America, showing
how the conditions of the miners had ad-
vanced just in proportion as the organiza-
ton grew. He pointed out how by organi-
ration and by utilization with other organi-
cations the miners had been able to win the
great strike of 1897 and how they had been
able one by one, to wipe out evils which
tended to depress them He carried the line
of thought still further and advised yet
more compact organization-one which
would enable the miners to destroy the last
vestage of the "pluck-me" store. There are
still many operators, Mr.. Gompers said,
who are ready to cheat and grind the
miner to the last extremity. The use OF
screens should be general and the miners
should make themselves strong to
know that when they are credited with
mining ton Of coal the operator has not
marketed more than a ton. Mr.. Gompers
the miners would find 1t necessary to resort
to force to obtain justice. He believed the
majority of the operators were willing to
concede all fair and reasonable demands
and that the others were ready, as a mat
ter of policy, to recognize the strength OF
the miners organization.
A HAPPY SURPRISE.
Mr.. Gompers was given three cheers and
a vote of thanks and then came the happy
surprise for the gathering in the form of a
telegram from st. Louis announcing that
Judge Thayer, of the United States Circuit
Court, had overthrown the ruling Of Judge
Williams. of Kansas. in the latters sen.
fencing of Mr.. Reese to Jail for contempt
The crowd was noisily demonstrative and
roundly chered when Mr.. Reese responded
to the call for a speech. Mr.. Reese said tina,
organized labor should not be blinded into
the belief that this settled the question OF
the interference of the judiciary. He said
he did not come under the injunction grant
ed by Judge Williams, that applied tc
residents of Kansas while he lived in Iowa
but he feared the demonstration just made
would not have been I'm order had he beer
unfortunate enough to have held q lega
residence In Kansas at the time he spoke
to the strikers. He advised the convention
when the proper time arrived, to adop
strong resolutions against government by
| Injunction.
LABOR REPRESENTATIVES,.
| During the morning session while thu
| convention was waiting for Mr.. Gomper.
President Mitchell called upon visitors from
other trades organizations. E. ]. Smith, o.
the Cigar Makers International Union, ad
vised that labor combine to meet ever,
| combination of capital
Henry Fisher, representing the interna
| ton that the big combinations of the to
| bacco manufacturers had reduced wage.
| and given places to girls at cents an hour
that ought to be held by men at Twins
| wages.
II. j. Skeffington said he came to Indian
| apolis in behalf of the Boot and Shoe
| makers National Union to ask the miner,
| to cooperate with his organization in any
| thing that might tend to bsneft organizeS
| labor.
| The reports of officers will probably b,
| the first thing TO be taken up in a business
way after the convention is properly or
| ganized. The election of new officers viii
| then occur. though IL may be several day,
| before the result is known as the committe,