Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-08-30
THE MINERS DEMANDS.
Next Week May Witness the Begin
ming of a Monster Strike.
HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND
Workers viii Suspend Operations
Unless the Employers Agree TO In
erase VINCE. and Make other Com
cessions-A Priests Influence.


erase Wages and Make other Con-
cessions-A Priests Influence.
Hazleton. Pa, Aug EFF the an
thracite coal operators refuse TO grant
the demands Of the United Mine Work
ers, as embodied in the reports of the
scale and the resolutions committees
as presented and adopted at yester-
days convention, by Sept. s a strike
involving 14G GOO miners, OF whom 40
900 are members of the mine workers
organization, will be declared. The
convention yesterday applied TO the
national executive board, with head
quarters at Indianapolis, to order a
strike if no satisfactory amicable
agreement regarding wages, the pow
der question and other grievances is
reached.
President Mitchell said today that
the application would undoubtedly be
favorably acted upon by the board
which meets at Indianapolis Sept. 8, II
existing conditions of which the mln'
ers complain are not remedied in the
time allowed by the convention.
The morning session was devoted tc
q discussion of the report of the scale
committee. which was adopted, but not
made public until yesterday afternoon
when the convention adjourned sine
die. Soon after the opening of the
afternoon session President Mitchell
said that Rev. Father Philips, of ST
Gabriels church, who advised the men
of his parish last Sunday not to go on
strike if one should be declared, had
something to say to the delegates, and
that if there was no objection he would
be invited to address the convention.
1t was unanimously agreed that Father
Philips be heard. and committee es-
corted him into the hall. He made a
stirring appeal to the miners not to
act hastily and precipitate a struggle,
and said that in his mind conditions
were not in favor of a strike. he
counseled moderation, and suggested
that before the men resolved to strike
they should use all honorable and
amicable means for bringing about a
settlement If the mine workers did
not secure recognition direct from the
operators he advised them to author
ize their committees to pick men en-
ployed at the collierteS who are not
members of the union to act with the
mine workers and present the griev-
ances of the men to their employers,
so that every opportunity would be
given for remedying conditions and
avoiding serious trouble.
His remarks had noticeable effect
on the convention and many of the
delegates who had previously favored
Inn, M OF declaration nf a GtriRp
lncided with his views.
The report of the scale committee
demands the abolition of the company
store system, the reduction liz the
price of powder to $3.50 per keg, the
abolition of the company diCtation as
to who shall be our doctors, abolition
of the sliding scale now in practice
in the Lehigh and Schuylkill regions,
compliance with the semi-monthly pay
law, and that all employees be paid in
cash; abolition of the erroneous sys-
tenn of having 1850 pounds TO the ton.
and that 2240 pounds constitute a ton
that an advance of 20 per cent be paid
ell classes of men now receiving less
than $3.50 per day, that all classes of
day labor now receiving S1.50, and not
exceeding S175, shall receive l. per
cent over present wages, that all day
labor now receiving more than $1.75
shall be advanced 10 per cent; that no
miner shall have at any time more than
one breast, gang or other class of
work, and shall only get his legal
share of cars.
Following are the separate scales
adopted for the respective districts for
inside work
District No. 1, comprising upper Lu-
Zerne and LaCkawanna: That 72h
cents be paid per ton of 2,240 pounds,
according to the thickness of the vein.
We are willing to allow for dockage
and rock slate or honey in the coal,
but we insist on having a check weigh
man at the head of the breaker, who,
with the company's weightman. shall
agree upon the amount of dockage
District No. l, comprising the Halle
ton and Upper Schuylkill region: We
demand that in veins of ten feet in
thickness or over, So cents be paid per
ton; under ten feet and over seven, go
cents; under seven feet, 71B cents,
and that tho highest rate be paid in all
places where Is cars of coal cannot be
Eulueu Will one heS VI pOWutI-
District No. 9, comprising Shamokin
and part Of Schuylkill region: We de-
mand an average increase of S12 per
cent on contract work and an average
price Of 50 cents per ton. the minimum
price of which shall be 35 and the
maximum &C cents.
In District No coal is measured
at present by the wagon and not by the
ton, the adoption of which system is
asked for.
Resolutions in accordance with the
above were enthusiastically adopted.
Power is given the district executive
committee to appoint any committees
they may see fit, which means that any
outsiders, nOn-uniOn employees, mer-
chants, professional men or ministers
may be asked to confer with the oper-
ators, so that every means shall be ex-
hausted before any strike is declared.
1t is possible that Father Philips will
be requested to speak for the miners
of this district. Several business men
may also be invited to confer with the
operators on behalf of the men.