The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-15
MOVE FOR MORE MONEY
IS TO BE SYSTEMATICALLY PRO
JECTED BY MINERS CONVENTION.
The First Session Begins This Morn
ing mt 10 O'ClOck-Other Matters
That VIII he Considered.

Two-thirds of the six hundred delegates
who are expected to attend the convention
Of the United Mine Workers OF America
had arrived in the city yesterday afternoon.
and the evening and late night trains
brought others. The first session Of the
convention. which is to continue all week.
will be held at 10 o'clock this morning. The
sessions of the convention will be held in
Masonic Temple. President Mitchell, of
the mine workers organization, will pre-
side.
President Blue, of the Central Labor
Union. of this city. will deliver the address
of welcome this morning. 1t is probable
that President Gompers, of the American
Federation, will also speak to-day. Pres
ident Mitchell does not expect to deliver his
annual address much before Wednesday
morning. Early in the week officers will be
elected, and considerable interest is being
taken in the approaching contest. 1t is
understood that there will be no opposition
against President Mitchell and Secretary
w. c. Pearce. and it is very likely that
they will be elected About the only spir-
tied contest will be in the selection of
vice president. The mine workers organi-
August, when T. w. Davis resigned this
Office. For this office there are seven can
didates. Among the more prominent candi-
dates for the vice presidency are w. d.
Vanhorn, of Indiana district No. IL; J. p.
Reese, a member of the national executive
board, and Il. l.. Lewis, secretary of the
Ohio district.
EIGHTEEN STATES.
Eighteen States will be represented in
the convention. The main purpose of this
gathering IL, Of course, in the interest of
higher scale of wages. After the miners
have discussed the situation and have adj
journed there will be held joint meeting
of mine workers and operators. This
meeting will be held next week.
Ii is extremely improbable that any i'm
portant business will be transacted to-day
because the credentials committee an
nounced last night that the immense de-
tail involved in going over the list of del
egateS and ascertaining that they are all
In good standing will not admit of finishing
the work before this evening, or. at the ear
Hest, some time this afternoon. Inasmuch
as the report OF this committee must be
read and approved before any delegates
can be officially seated, no other work
can be done.
Delegations from remote districts arrived
last night and went to the different hotels
Two OF the most remarkable locals repre-
sented are those of Streator. ILL.,, and Pratt
City, Ala. the first of which has a men,
bership of LIS, and the payment of the
per capita tax of this number entities it
TO eleven delegates in the convention.
Pratt City Is the largest local in the coun-
try, having a membership of 1880 and a
proportionate representation in the con-
vention.
Jacob Stanley of the Streator delegation,
said last night that the Illinois miners
had practically agreed TO ask for the
abolition or the machine differential and
the payment of a set price for a ton of
coal. whether mined by machine or by
hand. In case the operators cared to have
machines used in mining certain grades
OF coal the miners should use them, but
without any deduction on account OF their
use. The general sentiment is, however,
that a fiat differential OF cents a ton
will be insisted on and adopted by the
convention. This means that where ma
chimes are used and the scale is 60 cents a
ton for pick mining" the rate will be So
cents ton. AT present IL is claimed that
the machines. which do about one-fifth
of the work. are credited with about one
fourth of the earnings.
INCREASE IN SCALE.
The main question, OF course. is the
amount OF the general increase in the scale
to be asked for by the convention, and IL
is generally conceded that IL will be about
% cents a ton all over the country. An
attempt will be made to get a uniform
scale agreement adopted in many more
States and the fact that many moro oper-
ators Will be present this time than on for
mer occasions leads TO the belief that this
will be done. at present Indiana. Ohio.
Illinois and Pennsylvania are the only ones
which have any general scale agreement
with the operators and, while the national
convention wal not attempt TO fix a stated
scale which Will be recognized IN all States,