The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-06
COAL MINERS TO MEET.
A Great Convention to BE Held at
HaxeItOn, Ia.


a Great Convention to BE Held at
HaxeIton, Pa.
WILKESBARRE. Pa, Aug. 5.-For the
past ten days organizers of the United
Mine Workers OF America have been hard
at work throughout the entire anthracite
coal region, and they have enough meet
ings arranged to keep them very busy for
some days During this time the locals"
are holding sessions and electing delegates.
This unusual activity is caused by the
near approach OF the joint convention,
which is to be held at Hazleton on August
10. At this convention there will be some
900 delegates, representing $4,000 OF the
10 900 mine workers in the region, and
their duty viii be to decide the most
momentous question in the history of coal
mining in the hard coal district: Shall
the United Mine Workers fight for recog-
milton by the coal operators?"
II the delegates agree to this 1t Will
mean the hardest and bitterest strike
known to the region. II they do not it Will
be the practical death of the organization
as far as this region Is concerned. There
has been no organization of the mine work
ers in this part If the State Cor fifteen
years. from the time the Knights OF Labor
lost their power. in the early eighties,
until, after the Lat inner strike, the UHitec
Mine Workers con menced to perfect an
organization on the same lines on which
1t was built and has reached its present
powerful proportions in the soft coal
regions. This work OF organization has
been going on slowly but thoroughly for
the past two years, until now fully four
fifths Of the anthracite mine workers be-
long to the union.
Its existence has been marked by scy-
eral strikes, especially in this valley. and
its efforts to manage and control these
strikes have not met with great success.
The reason for this is that the operators.
both large and small, have by common
consent, refused to recognize the union or
treat in any way. however indirectly. with
The local, district, or general leaders
Under these conditions the union has. as
far as all practical purposes is concerned,
been nonentity. The time has now come.
so its members think, to test its strength
in a great struggle for recognition, which
the adoption of a general wage scale would
mean.
The feeling has been growing rapidly
during the last six months among the rank
and file of its members that the union is
not all that it promised TO be; that they
benefit the organization without getting
any benefit from it. The failure of the
union to be a factor for order and arbi-
tration its impotent attempt to impress
the operators with its power. and its ina
bility to control many OF the foreigners,
Hungarians, Italians, Poles and Slays,
and prevent the acts of violence which they
have committed under the cloak of union
ISM has lost it much Of it's prestige among
the conservative Welsh, German, and Eslg-
Heb hos on;
of late in the Intellectual attempts to or
ganize local unions in districts where the
English-spsaking miners predominant.
Among other things, the recognition OF
the miners would mean sweeping reforms
in the docking system and another big
hole in the profits of the companies. Ii
would also affect the railroads, for II the
companies are compelled to pay more tC
the miners. they must, in order to make a
profit. pay less t. the carrying companies
for the price of anthracite coal cannot GO
up much further without it being forced
out of the market entirely.
The operators say 1t would mean the
death of the industry if the miners were
able to force all the demands they will
make, but the miners say the same or
ganization in the bituminous region hes
reached a point of power. has obtained fair
wages and just treatment for its men. and
the industry is now in better shape than
ever.
The miners want the question OF to fight
or not to fight thoroughly discussed at
the convention. All realize that when II
comes to question Of force on each side,
the mine workers only force is a strike
and a strike which would embrace the en-
tire anthracite region is not a pleasant
prospect to contemplate.
The men want the question of how they
are going to exist, IL the strike is de-
cIared. thoroughly understood. The union
here should have a goodly amount in its
treasury, and in the bituminous region II
is very weIl-to-do. Both branches would
receive much support from the other labor
organizations The delegates are to learn
if there would be enough money forthcom-
ing to keep the strikers for several
months, for the strike would be long one.
The condition of the men. too, is better
now than il has been for long time, work
has been steady. and most Of them would
be able to get along some weeks with
out assistance.
With the operators and owners the ua-
derstanding has been since the inception
of the organization that 1t should not be
recognized, and they will stand by this
TO the last. Most of the big companies
have a large stock of coal on hand. and
would not be seriously embarrassed for
lack of it for some months. 1t is signi-
Gcant fact. too, that, Despite the large
stores on hand, the companies are contin-
| uing to produce heavily.