Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-12

Scranton, Pa, Oct. 12.-The conven-
lion of striking anthracite mine workers
called by President Mitchell of the Unit
ed Mine Workers for the purpose of con-
siderig the ten per cent net advance
offered by the mine owners convened in
Music Hall today. The hall, which had
a capacity of about 700, was filled. Un-
like most conventions there was an utter
lack Of decorations in the hall. AS each
official Of the United Mine Workers en-
tered the hall they were applauded, but
the most enthusiastic demonstration was
reserved for President Mitchell. He ad-
dressed the delegates as follows:
} Gentlemen. In opening this conven-
lion desire to briefly outline the pur-
pose which prompted US to call you here
and to point out, If I can, the course you
should pursue in determining the ques-
lions which vitality affect not only your
selves and the vast constituency you rep
resent but also the millions Of people in
the eastern and New England states and
in the anthracite region, not directly con-
mected with the coal industry. Before do
dng so however, permit me to congratu-
late you upon the growth of your organi-
zation as evidenced by the large number
Of delegates assembled here. This is,
without exception the largest labor con-
vention which has taken place in the in
dustrial history of our nation. The
causes which forced you to engage in the
contest which has preceded this conven-
tiOn are from years of suffering so in
delibly impressed upon your memories
that it would be waste of words to re-
cite them here. The story Of your wrongs
has been truthfully depicted by your Of
ficers, it has been portrayed in all it's
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 declared that your cause is
just and that the responsibility for this
unfortunate strike rests solely upon the
shoulders Of those who employed you.
Your own conduct during the strike,
even under the most trying cIrcum-
stances, has won for you and your cause
the respect and commendation of all JUS
tice-loving and patriotic people. Viola
tions of 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
than 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 or
ganizations have no greater enemies
than those thoughtless strikers who vio-
late the law or permit themselves to be
provoked into the commission of crime
1t frequently occurs in time of strikes
that employers provoke strikers into VIC.
lations of the law with the hope and the
expectation that public sentiment will be
tpe,% %l,o YfrS1y h.
military arm of their state can be Sc
cured to curb the men and defeat the OBJ
jects for which the strike was inaugu
rated. Whatever may be your decision
here today, whether you end or continue
the strike it is my earnest hope thai
every miner may regard it as his duty
not only to obey, but assist in enforcing
the law.
when this strike was put into effec
we declared that it would not end unless
a majority of the delegates representing
anthracite miners agreed to it's termina
ton. We repeatedly announced that WI
would not undertake to decide the futur
happiness or misery, the veal or woe o
the five hundred thousand persons de
pendent upon the anthracite coal indus
try for livelihood. We believe that tn
men who mine coal, that the men VIII
work In the cOll1erleS tnat the boys WIZ
work in the breakers should all be con
suited before the officers of your uniol
declare the strike at an end. Learning
that the operators had posted notices a
their mines offering an advance of tel
percent in wages formerly paid, W
deemed it our duty to call convention
and permit the miners to pass judgmen
on the question of it's acceptance or re
lection.
lin. considering the proposition OF tn
operators I want the delegates attend
ing this convention to be calm and dis