The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-13
THE SCRANTON TRrBUNE-sATURDAY. OCTOBER 49, 1900.

factory to all. He entreated the dele.
gates to do all they could to make his
labors lgh,. He then read the fol-
lowing telegram from President Com
pers, of the American Federation Of
Labor:
Washington, D. c., Oct. l2, 1900.
John MITCHELL President OF U. NJ. W. Of A.
Convention OF Anthracite Miners, Scranton, Pa.
The ca,isc Of the miners Is the cause OF hu.
fianty. Whatever decision is reached regarding
the operators offer, the future must be brighter,
better and more just for the miners. their wives
and children, and humanity will be the gamer
Kindly convey to the assembled delegates the
sncercst sympathy and cooperation OF every
union member and officer OF the American Fed.
Grafton Of Labor. We all pray and work for your
success. Samuel Gompcrs
President OF the American Federation of Labor.
The telegram was received with the
heartiest applause. Mr.. Mitchell then
made brief address, calling to the
delegates minds the Importance of the
deliberations upon which they were
about to enter. "'rhis is most re-
markable convention" he went on to
say. you are called here to consider
an offer that was never made to you.
Notices were posted by the operators
announcing that they would give their
men ten per cent. raise In wages, and
you were called into convention to
pass upon 1t. 1t now becomes your
duty to accept 1t or to instruct your
officers, who act for you in the absence
Of a convention, what you would have
them do. A terrible responsibility
rests on the shoulders Of every man
here. If you legislate wisely, your fu-
ture will be as bright as it is in the
bituminous regions. II a mistake Is
made, you endanger continuation of
the hardships which have beset you
for so many years. Do not be car
ried away with enthusiasm. Do not
say or do anything Just because it
is popular to say or do it,
Executive Session.
When he had concluded and the in
evitable cheers had subsided, a dele
gate moved to go into executive ses-
sion. The motion was put and car
ried by an unanimous vote. All who
were not delegates were then requested
to retire and about a third of the
asesmblage withdrew. This was at
$50 o'clock. What transpired later
was to be made public through a-press
committee, 1t was announced.
The convention adjourned at 545
o'clock until 9 o'clock this morning.
The press committe Of which President
Mitchell is chairman, gave out the
following as the report of what took
place in the executive session:
At 8 o'clock the convention vert into cxecu.
-
tion was taken up; after which a motion was
passed that the convention proceed to the dis
cussion of the proposition made by the operators,
through notices posted at their mines. The
convention decided that each delegate who de-
sired could speak three minutes.
The question was asked il all the operators
had posted notices advancing the wages ten per
cent, and it was ascertaincd that large mum.
Der Of the individual operators had not yet noti-
fed their men of their willingness to pay any
advance.
During the entire session the question at ISSUE
was debated by the delegates in an earnest, con.
servative manner; and the opposition to the
proposition of the operators appeared TO be
unanimous. There appeared also to be intense
desire to have the organization officially recog.
nZcd. No motions adopted bearing upon
the wage scale.
That the strike is likely to be pro-
longed indefinitely is now to be great
ly feared. The Tribune three days ago
contained an authoritative statement
from the operators that they had gone
to the limit of their concessions and
would not, under any circumstances,
enlarge or in any way modify their
offer. The Tribun, of yesterday con-
tanned another authoritative statement
to the effect that the operators who
We're responsible for the offer are now
sorry that they inrerfered with their
superintendents in the original plan to
fight 1t to finish.
Presidents Interviewed.
If anything further was needed along
this line, it was furnished yesterday
by long-distance telephone inter-
view with President Truesdale, of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
road, and President Olyphant. of the
Delaware and Hudson road. President
Truesdale said:
"We have made all the concessions
we viii! make. After the convention
has adjourned, We may discuss the
but 1t now rests with the men
to accept or reject the advance In
wages offered by u.s."
President Olyphant, of the Delaware
and Hudson company, said:
Our company will pay an advance
Of ten per cent. and settle the powder
question as stated. We are not in a
position to make any further conces-
sions. 1t would not be proper for US
to speak until the convention has
acted. But I believe voice the opin-
ion of the majority of the operators
when 7 say that we do not intend to
make any further concessions"
That President Mitchell anticipates a
of the fight is evidenced
by series Of secret conferences he has
been having the past two days with
w. r. Guernsey, of Harrisburg, an
official Of the Brotherhood of Railway
with a view of preventing
the entry of soft coal into the anthra-
cite region.
Mr.. Mitchell early yesterday morn
ing left the Elks' reception, where he
Mr.. Guernseys room in the Valley
house, where he spent an hour and a
half. At noon yesterday he was again
in conference with Mr.. Guernsey. Last
night. at 10 O'clock Mr.. Mitchell un-
attended went to the Valley house and
spent another hour with Mr.. Guern-
uey.
Mr.. Mitchell at first laughingly told
the reporters that 1t was simply a
social call Mr.. Guernsey refused to
see newspaper men.
Mr. Mitchell received assurance that,
lf the trainmen can prevent it, there
will be no more soft coal brought into
the anthracite field.
1t is claimed that what soft coal