The evening times., 1900-10-12

SCRANTON. Pa. Oct, 12.-The coal
miners convention, which will take up
and reach conclusion upon the wage in
crease proposals Of the anthracite opera
tors. opened in Music Hall this morning
shortly after 10 o'clock, about 700 of the
expected 1000 delegates being on hand.
Others will come en- later trains in time
for the more important part of the busi-
ness in hand.
The morning sessions was largely taken
up in the enrolment of delegates.
President John Mitchell presided and
the secretaries were John T. Dempsey, OF
this city; George Hartlein, of Shamokin,
and Hugh Gallagher, of HaZleton. the
regular secretaries of the three anthra-
cite districts of the United Mine Work
ers.
When President Mitchell entered the
hall, lie was greeted by cheers Of the del
egates, all OF whom arose He promptly
called the convention to order and in an
address pointed out the reasons for the
calling of the convention He said:
Gentlemen: In opening this convention,
I desire to briefly outline the purpose which
prompted US to call you here; to point out
If I can, the course you should pursue in
determining the questions which SO vital
ly affect not only yourselves and the vast
constituency you represent, but also the
millions of people in the Eastern and New
England States and in the anthracite re-
gion, not directly connected with the coal
industry.
Before doing So however, permit me to
congratulate you upon the growth of your
organization, as evidenced by the large
number of delegates assembled here. This
is, without exception, the largest labor
convention which has taken place in the
industrial history of our nation.
The causes which forced you 10 engage
in the contest which has preceded the
convention are from years of suffering so
indelibly imprinted upon your memories
that it would be a waste of words to re-
cite them here-
THE story Of your wrongs has been
truthfully depicted by your officers; it has
been portrayed in all its hideousness by
the representatives of the press, men sent
here to seek out the truth and report the
conditions as they really exist, and with
exceptional unanimity the public has de-
claTed that your cause is Just, and that the
responsibility for this unfortunate strike
rests solely upon the shoulders of those
who employed you.
Your conduct during this strike even
under the most trying circumstances. has
won for you and your cause the respect
and commendation of all justice-loving
patriotic people. Violations of the law
have been few in number, and then only
under circumstances in which the miners
were not wholly at fault. In fact it has
been shown that more overt acts have been
committed by those whose duty it is to
enforce the law shaI by the mine workers,
who have been so enormously pictured as
men entirely devoid of respect for law and
order. For this you deserve much credit
Labor organize tions have no greater
enemies than the thoughtless strikers
who violate the law or permit themselves
to be provoked into the commission of
crime It frequently occurs in time of
strikes that employers provoke strikers
into violations of the law with the hope
and the expectation that public sentiment
will be arrayed against the strike and the
military arm of the State can be secured
to curb the men and defeat the objects
for which the strike was inaugurated
Whatever may be your decision here to-
day, whether you end or continue the
strike, it is my earnest hope that every
man may regard it as his duty not only
to obey, but TO assist in the enforcing of.
the law
When this strike .,as put into effect
We declared that it would not end unless
a majority of the delegates representing
the anthracite miners agreed to its ter
m'nation. We repeatedly announced that
we would not undertake to decide the fu-
ture happiness or misery the veal or
woe, OF the five hundred thousand depen-
dent upon the anthracite coal industry
for a livelihood.
I'VE believe that the men who mine
coal, that the men who work in the col
Heries, that the boys who work in the
breakers, should all be consulted before
the officers of your union declare the
strike at an end.
Learning that the operators had posted
notices at their mines offering an advance
of 10 per cent in wages formerly paid we
deemed it our duty to call a convention
and permit the miners to pass Judgment
On the question of its acceptance or re1ec-
tion. In considering the proposition of
Tue operators, / Naui the QeieSat6S attend
ing this convention to be calm and dispas-
sfonate; to consider the question in all it's
phases; to measure carefully the chances
OF success and the possibilities of defeat
should the strike be continued You must
not reach conclusions hastily; you must
not overestimate your strength, and Oh
the other hand, you should take every pre-
caution to protect yourselves against the
avaricionsness Of your employers, who, I
regret to say, have shown no disposition
to treat you fairly in the past; and who
have never shown any regard for the well
fare of those who produce their wealth.
For the first time in many years. the
operators have recognized your demands
for better conditions of employment. and
have offered an advance of 10 per cent in
Naval Academy-Princeton Footbau
Game Via Pennsylvania Railroad.
Tickets to Annapolis on sale for 12:l5 noon train
from Washington Saturday, October l3 good To
return same day after the game, l.32 round trip