New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-16
UNITED MINE WORKERS
ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF THE ORGAN
ZATION-OFFICERS WHO WILL
HAVE CHARGE OF BIG


Indiana polls. Sept Ii (SpeciaD.-The men at the
head of the United Mine Workers Association
point to the history of that organization as evl-
dence that it was formed for the mutual good OF
the mine owner and the mine worker. and invoke
the testimony OF the organizations records to snow
that Il has been a conservative body. and has al
ways occupied the place OF peacemaker ana
has never been a fomenter OF strife. Being the
first organization that has succeeded in gathering
in all the miners in the United States, and pos
sessing great power for good harm, the officers
point 10 the records as p9opf. Of the conservatism
that has marked its courses, and say that 1t is
this policy that shall continue TO dominate It's &C
tioa.
The history Of the rise and progress Of the United
Mine Workers of America has many elements OF
interest not only TO the miners and the operators
but 10 the general public well. There have been
National organizations among the miners and at
tempts at National organizations, but II was not
tiH 1855 that the foundations Of what now seems to
be a permanent organization were laid On Sep
TENDER 2 OF that year delegations from local
miners unions in Ohio, Pennsylvania Illinois West
Virginia Iowa and Kansas met IN this city and
formed National union. under the name OF the
National Federation Of Miners and Mine Laborers
The avowed purpose OF this organization was to
bring the miners and the mine owners into more
friendly relations. and. if possible, put an end TO
the many causes that had operated in past years to
produce discord and awaken feelings of discomfort
among the miners and Of dstrust among the opera
tors The directing head Of this body consisted Of
five members, and the first Board was composed or
Christopher Evans OF Ohio; Daniel Mclaughlin,
OF Illinois; Hugh Reed, Of Iowa William Flem-
ming. Of West Virginia, and John johnson. of
Pennsylvania. Evans was executive secretary and
the principal official of the Board
The first meeting Of this Board characterized
BY a step which proved that there was a sincere
desire TO bring better conditions for all con-
cerned in the mining districts. After much discus
SION the executive secretary addressed letter to
the mine owners in the various States asking them
to meet the members of the Board at Chicago in
November. The circular letter stated that con-
ference desired in order that causes Of friction
might be removed and a better understanding
reached between the miners and their employers.
The Board members went TO Chicago, but W. P.
Rend was the only operator who appeared at the
meeting At his suggestion invitations were sent 10
the operators whose headquarters were in Chicago
20 meet for joint conference the next day. Mr..
Rend entered into the spirit Of the proposition for
3oint action. and signed the invitation to his fellow
operators. Nine Of the latter put in appearance
at the conference. and the question OF trying TO
agree upon q Joint scale discussed, but
ton taken
So friendly was the attitude of the miners rep
resentatives. however. that joint circular
Issued operators and miners TO meet for
ference IN Pittsburg in the following December.
This meeting largely attended, and though
scale agreed upon, was drafted and dis.
cussed and meeting was arranged to take place
at Columbus Ohio in February, with the object in
SCALE OF WAGES AGREED ON
Having laid the foundation for an agreement at
Pittsburg the Columbus meeting finally agreed
upon q scale of wages for the mining year begin
ming in April and the scale included all the oper-
atives in the bituminoUs fields in Ohio. Indiana,
Illinois West Virginia and the Pttsburg district of
Pennsylvania Christopher Evans, Of Ohio. was
the president Of this convention, and ". j. Bent
was secretary, and this the beginning OF what
is known the interstate movement. In other
words il the first time that any labor organ
ization had attempted 10 reach an understanding
with the employers Of labor. and, by providing
scale of wages for year. formally bind both
parties TO abide by IL.
Six months after the formation OF the National
Federation of Miners and Mine Laborers another
organization formed by the knights Of La
Dor. and known National Trades Assembly
No I35 The presence OF two orga MIA lions divided
the strength of the mine workers and led to many
vexatious conditions. but both continued in the
of the bodies met and agreed TO a union of the
two organizations. under the OF the National
Progressive Union This arrangement proved far
from satisfactory to the intelligent class Of
miners, and after years existence another Joint
convention called ana met In Columbus and
at this meeting the union dissolved and the
United Mine Workers Of America was Organized
with John B. Ray. of Pennsylvania president and
Robert Watchorn. of Pennsylvania secretary This
organization made TO include all the nina
workers of the United States 1t has followed tba
general policy of the Federation of Miners 81
Mine Laborers. and, by holding joint conference
each year with the operators and fixing a scale q,
wages has done much in the direction of a1oidta
friction and removing the causes that before led -
trouble. "
There has been no general strike of mine worker.