The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-10-13
MINERS IN CONVENTION
OPPOSE TAKING OFFER
Sentiment is Against Accepting Wage Increase With
out Other Concessions
President Mitchell Makes Two Conservative and NOnCO
initial Speeches, Placing Responsibility Delegates.

! at an end. Learning that the operators
/ had posted notices at their mines of
/ ferirg an advance Of - per cent in
! wages formerly paid, we deemed it our
/ duty to call convention and permit
/ the miners to pass judgment on the
/ question of its acceptance or rejec-
/ ton.
! In considering the proposition of the
/ opera tors / want the delegates attend
/ ing this convention 10 be calm and dis
! passionate, to consider the question in
I all its phases, to measure carefully the
chances of success and the possibilities
/ of defeat. should the strike be contin-
/ ued. You must not reach conclusions
/ hastily, you must not estimate
/ your strength and on the other hand
you should take every pTecautiOn to
protect yourselves against the various
ness of your employers who. I regret
to say, have shown no disposition 10
treat you fairly in the past and who
have never shown any regard for the
welfare of those who produce their
wealth.
Increase Not Satisfactory
For the first time in many years the
operators have recognized your de-
mands for better conditions OF employ
ment and have offered an advance of
10 per cent in your wages. 1 am we'll
aware that this advance is not salts
| factory to You. You have felt, and
Il
time should be named during which
this advance should remain in force.
Your experience where wages are
based on a sliding scale has been SO
unsatisfactory to you that you believe
I that the sliding scale method of deter
mining Wa ges should be abolished. You
also believe that the laws of Pennsyl-
Vania should be Obeyed by the coal
companies and wages be paid twice
each month. you reserving the right of
75r,er ],
choose. Whether it is believed wise at
this time to insist upon a compliance
with all your demands is a question
which you, as most interested, are call
ed upon to decide.
Wants Annual Meeting.
Personally I have hoped we should
be able at some time to establish the
same method OF adjusting wage differ
enceS as now exists in the bituminOus
coal regions. where employers and min
ers delegates meet in joint Interstate
convention and like prudent sensible
business men, mutually agree upon a
scale OF wages which remains in force
for one year, thus removing the causes
OF strikes and lockOutS, and even vet I
believe that in the future the anthra-
cite operators will accept this humane
ana progressive method of treating
with their employees.
Labor Organiza tons like labor saw
ing machinery, are here TO stay Cap
ltal may for d time refuse TO deal with
them, may. because of its great power,
retard the growth of Organiza tons for
d time. but like truth crushed to earth
they will rise again and give battle
IN defense of the poor and oppressed.
NOW, gentlemen, permit me to adj
mOnlsh you to consider seriously the
course you intend TO pursue. The eyes
OF the American people are conferred on
the city of Scranton today. anxiouslv
awaiting the result of this convention
90 not wish you to accept one cent
less Tor your labor than it is possible
Ior you TO secure L do not wish the
great orSaniza ton which has been bUiIt
among you to be wrecked and rIIined
through any mistake of mine or YOURS
II you leSislate wisely and 1udiciousIv
can see a destiny brighter and han
pier Tor you and for those who will take
your places when you have passed
away, can see a future where the lii
lie boys viii be in attendance at the
school instead of wasting their Young
lives in the breakers, helping to earn
hVeuhood for their parents. l can.
see future where pleasant homes and
happy smiling faces of the wives and
mothers will be in vivid contrast wifi
the conditions of today
Miner Reads a Poem.
President MitchelTs address was we'll
received. The next order of business
was the appointment of a committee on
credentials The committee consists of
nine mem berS, three from each of the
districts William Davis of PottsviIie
known as the Golden Miner by rea-
son OF being the Oldest working miner
in the anthracite region was intro
duced and read a short poem.
The convention at II o'clock took a
recess until 1;30 p. IN. to allow the
committee to examine the credentials.
The first business of the afternoon
session was the receiving Of committee
reports, matter Of routine. During
the roll call upon the adoption of the
reports President Mitchell ruled that
IN compliance with The promise made ,
70 the non union mine workers all .
unOrganized men on strike could be
represented in the convention. For in
stance, II union has Il membership
OF 900 and there are zoo men on strike
at the cOlliery where the union is To-
Gated then IL is entitled TO seven votes
instead OF five. The report of the COM
mitteeS were accepted
Gompers Sends Greeting.
President Mitchell read the following
telegram from Samuel GomDers. pres /
Labor:
The cause of the miners is the cause I
OF humanity. Whatever the decision is /
regarding the operators offer, the flu !
ture must be brighter. better and more !
just Miners, their wives and children :
and humanity will be the gamer. Kind /
~ convey to the assembled delegates :
the sincerest sympathy and co-opera-
ton OF every union, member and officer (
OF the American Federation of Labor.
We all pray and work for your sue
cess"
Then President Mitchell again adj |
dressed the miners. In the course of |
his speech he said:
This is probably one of the most re-
markable conventions that it has ever
been my good fortune to attend You
are not called hNre to pass judgment
on a proposition made to you The
operators made no proposition to the
miners. They posted notice of advance /
in wages, over those formerly paid 1t |
viii now become your duty to- pass
judgment as to whether you desire 10
accept it or to instruct your officers
what you wish them TO do.
AS ] said before, every man here
must feel that upon his shoulders rests