The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-17
BRIEF SESSION is HELD
THE COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS
Is UNABLE TO REPORT.
Until Its Report Is Forthcoming the
Convention Cannot Organise-What
the Delegates Are Doing.

SldHuSlill yesterday on account Oh the
failure of a committee on credentials TO
report. Without this report there is no del
egate body and can be no convention.
There was much complaining among the
delegates yesterday afternoon because of
the fact that the committee had announced
that 1t could not be ready to make a re-
port before this morning. This complain
ing Is on account of the expense occasioned
by the delay. The national organization
pays the railroad fare Of duly authorized
delegates to and from the convention. but
IL falls upon the local union sending the
delegate to pay his board and his wages
during the time he is in attendance. 1t is
estimated that this latter expense amounts
to not less than 5000 a day for the entire
delegation.
The credentials committee Is not to
blame however, for the delay. 1t is COM
posed of p. J. keenan,, OF Kangley, ILL.,,
John Fahy. of Pottsville, Pa, and III. A.
tanning, of Blatchford. o. These gentle
men came to Indianapolis last Wednes-
day and began work early the next morn
ing and have been hard at it ever since.
stopping only during very short intervals.
They have reached point wnere they are
morning when the convention assemblies.
WORK MADE NECESSARY.
The great amount of work required of the
committee on credentials is made necessary
by the peculiar provisions of the consti-
tuition. The standing of every delegate
and the local union that senos him must
be scrutinized most critically. The COM
| mittee must ascertain by personal investi-
| cation If the local sending a delegate has
paid its national dues for the three months
preceding the convention. If in arrears the
local Is not entitled to representation. In
the case Of new locals they must have been
| in existence three months before the date
OF the convention, and must have paid two
months dues. Reorganized locals must
| have been in good standing at least six
months before the date of the convention
| All these things make it necessary that
i the committee know for certain the con-
dition Of the local which sends the dele
| gate.
But this is not all. No local is allowed
| more than five votes, though every local
| Is entitled to one delegate and an addition
/ al delegate for every extra one hundred
| members. or majority fraction of hun
| dred. There is another article that pro-
/ vides that where locals are weak numer-
| ically, but so situated that they may
| combine to send a single delegate to rep
| resent them all, the combination must be
Il
must know, therefore. the situation and
| condition of every local that sends dele
| gate, whether the local is sending more dele
gates than 1t is entitled to vote. and
| whether or not 1t has complied with the
requirements regarding combinations.
| A FURTHER PROVISION.
| further provision of the constitution
is to the effect that the delegate must be
a mine worker an employee of the min
ers' union and must reside in the district
| which elects him as a delegate. Hence the
committee must investigate the delegate
| personally. A confusing point in some in
stances to the committee occurred on ac-
| count of the constitutional provision ex-
emptfng local unions from the payment of
dues under certain conditions. One condi-
ton Is during times Of strikes. This makes
| just why every local union tina. presents
delegate has not paid its dues as re-
CURED by a previous section of the con-
stitution. When 1t is considered that there
/ are over LOO local unions represented by
the convention the great amount of work
that has fallen upon the committee on
credentials can be appreciated. The COM
| ledger and had completed it's report Mon
| day evening, when delegates representing
3I4 locals came in. This made 1T necessary
These were delegates representing locals
that were delinquent, the delegates claimed,
| with constitutional cause.
| THE DELEGATES ENGAGED.
During the interim yesterday the dele
gates spent the time partly In viewing the
sights OF the city and partly in holding
| local meetings. The latter were merely
caucuses at which the various sections got
/ together and determined upon a policy to
| pursue in the election Of officers, which is
| to occur to-day. The new officers will be
/ apportioned over the eighteen States rep
| resented at the convention according to the
/ strength of the various districts. The Pitts
burg district for instance, met during the
| morning at Masonic Hall after the adjourn
ment of the convention and came to an
| understanding as to which of its half
dozen candidates 1t would urge for election.
| In the afternoon the dozen delegates from
the Southern States met for the same pur-
| pose. The latter also discussed the ques-
| ton OF demanding an eight-hour day. In
nearly all sections of the North eight hours
| constitute days work, and this is deemed
| important because there are many en-
ployes about the mines who work by the
| day. In the South ten hours is the mini
mum days work. ]. L. Clemo was APP
/ pointed a committee to prepare resolu-
| ton to be introduced to the general con-
] vention. 1t will urge the adoption of a
national regulation on the question of
| hours.
A BRIEF SESSION.
| The second days session of the big con-
vention was Of short duration, lasting less
than an hour. A committee distributed the
| official badges and then a call was made
for the report of the credentials commit
| tee. The report was not forthcoming and
| when 1t was learned that the committee
| could not finish before evening a recess
| was taken until late this morning at 8
| o'clock. During the half hour that the con-
| vention waited for definite news of the
| committee on credentials the delegates
| were entertained by Patrick ID. Somers
| of Minnesota, and Patrick Dolan, of Pitts
| burg The former talked Of old-time strikes
| and troubles of miners with employers.
| Dolan sang some Irish ditties that quite
| captivated the audience. An adjournment
| was then taken until this morning and the
| delegates spread themselves over the city
| to enjoy themselves.
| There is some talk among the delegates
| OF the next place of holding the conven-
| ton and IL would not be surprising If In
| dianapolis should be chosen again. AL
though IL Is a rule to change the place
| from year to year the accessibility of In
| dianapols and the hotel facilities have
| made deep impression upon the dele
| gates and there is strong feeling in
| favor of making this, the national head
quarters, the seat Of the national conven-
tons. Springfield. ILL.,, and Columbus. O.,
| are both mining centers and bidding
| strongly for the next convention and either
may succeed IN capturing the prize
CONFERENCE WITH OPERATORS.