The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-24
ARE SIGNS OF TROUBLE
MINERS WANT OPERATORS OUTSIDE
THE FOUR STATES SEATED.
Such Action Would Tend to Prolong
the Struggle-The First Joint
Conference Is Held.

Probably the first evidence to be made
public that the operators will not accede
to all the demands of the mine workers
will come this morning, when the second
days session of the joint convention is
called to order. This will be the report
Of the credentials committee and, judg-
ing from some of the rumors current about
the hotels last night, the report of the
committee will not meet with much favor
In the eyes of the mine workers. The chief
question to be considered by the commit
tee on credentials was the seating of dele
gates from States outside of Pennsylvania
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. During the
meeting yesterday morning some of the
miners showed their desire to have the OPP
orators seat delegates from outside the
four States interested In the conference
and one miner even went so far as to pro-
pose to the operators the seating of out
side delegates. The report gained circu-
lation last night that the committee on
credentials had met and decided to make
a report back to the convention this morn
ing that it was unable to agree on the
question. There was another report to the
effect that the members of the committee
will get together again and make a re-
port against the seating of any Of the out
SIDE operators.
One operator said last night that the
miners were faVoring the seating of out
side operators as to break up the COM
bine existing among the operators. AS the
operators are now bound together in the
four States no important question can be
settled without the unanimous vote of all
the operators. The miners, it is said, be-
lieve if larger numbers can be added to
the forces of the operators questions would
be harder to settle, as the outside opera
tors have not been organized as long as
the operators OF the four States and If
they were to come into the meeting and
have voice in the settlement of ques-
lions there would be many disagreementS.
1t is said the credentials committee con-
sidered the question fully and, being un-
able to arrive at decision, agreed to dis
agree and will let the convention solve
the problem this morning. Many believe
there will be considerable discussion on
this question when it comes up before the
convention, as the miners will want to seat
the outside operators. The operators on the
credentials committee recommend that the
operators outside of the four States should
get together and form an organization
for their mutual protection and in a way
they could all work together for each
others interests.
When the report Of the credentials com
mittee is disposed of before the joint con-
vention this morning the report of the
committee on rules and order Of business
may also be made. 1t is reported that the
miners have not reached a conclusion or
the wage question and will not be ready
to meet the operators on this point should
the matter come up to-day. After the re-
ports of the two committees appointed yes
terday are disposed Of this morning the
convention may order the scale committee
to meet and make a report to the conven.
ton tomorrow. Many of the operators
and some of the leading miners do not
look for a short session, some of the oper.
ators saying it will take several days to set
tie all the demands satisfactorily which
the miners are said to be ready to make.