The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-22
President Mitchell of the Mine Work.
ers' Union Makes Response in
N Few Remarks.
THE FIRST SESSIONS HELL
CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE WAS NOT
READY TO REPORT.
Machine Mining to BE Closely Consid-
ered-smoker for Visitors mt
Morrison Hall.


dent Mitchell at 10 o'clock yesterday morn
irg. AS the gavel fell the hum of voices
OF 1000 miners ceased and the closest at
tention was given to the chair. President
Mitchell introduced Evans Woollen. secre-
tary of the Commercial Club. who well
coined the delegates to the city. In his
greeting to the miners he said:
Your stay in indianapolis. last year.
was so much appreciated that the Com
mercial Club had no hesitation in promis-
ing that. If you should return, your treas
try would be relieved of the payment for
a hall. In fulfillment OF the promise, We
have pleasure in rendering you the use
of this hall.
I'VE are proud OF John Mitchell as a
citizen Of Indianapolis. and don't want you
to send him or your headquarters away
from u.s.
Mr.. woollen was followed by John Blue.
ex-president OF Central Labor Union, who
welcomed the delegates on behalf Of the
organized labor of Indianapolis. In part
he said:
'Ten years ago this organization. whose
great convention we greet this morning.
was organized under the most embar-
RAISING circumstances. Every obstacle
possible blocked its progress. The iron
and unrelenting heel of capital sought to
cripple and disrupt 1t. Every device that
the cunning hand of wealth could devise
was used to retard its progress, but to no
avail Born of desperation and urged to
greater activity by the stern hand OF
necessity, the United Mine Workers of
American knew no such word as fail.
The history of the past ten years Is re-
plete with victories gained largely as the
result OF a conservative policy and strict
adherence to the principles of right and
justice. The history of the United Mine
Workers of America is that their victories
have been won because the individual men,
hers, In trying hours. even at moment
when starvation stared them in the face,
acted the part of good law-abiding citi-
ZenS."
ANOTHER WELCOME.
Following Mr.. Blues address, Edward
F. Gould, editor of the Union, welcomed
the miners OF the State for the State
Federation of Labor on behalf of President
Edgar A. Perkins, who could not be pres
ent. In his address he took occasion to
make an appeal to the miners in behalf
of the womens Label League, and men
toned the names of women who have iden-
titled themselves with charitable and in
preparation for the future and that re-
view of the miners affairs is living evil
dence that we do not live in the present.
but are laying foundation for the future.
President Mitchell responded for the
miners, thanking each for the courtesies
extended. He said the miners should con-
duct themselves in a manner to win the
highest respect and esteem OF everyone.
and by so doing, they will be greatly as
sisted by public sentiment and public opin-
ion. He said the miners appreciated the
reception that has been accorded them and
entertain kindly feeling for Indianapolis.
The official call for the convention was
read by w. 3. Wilson, Secretary-treaSurer
of the United Mine Workers. after Presi-
dent Mitchell concluded his address, and
the report Of the committee on credentials
was called for. The committee was not
ready to report and the following commit
tee on rules and order of business was ap-
pointed: G. w. Savage. of Columbus, O.,
William Dodds, of Pittsburg, Pa, and
Harry Wright, of Carbon, Ind. An adj
journment was then taken till the after
noon.
The report of the credentials committee
was again called for at the opening of
the afternoon session Vice President II.
l.. Lewis spoke for the committee and
said it would not be able to report before
o'clock. The committee on rules and
order of business then made its report.
The time of the sessions is from o'clock
in the morning till II, and from 1:30 in
the afternoon till 5. Speeches were limited
to five minutes. After the report of the
committee on rules and order of business
a committee was appointed to distribute
the souvenir badges to the delegates.
SHORT TALKS MADE.
While the convention was awaiting the
report of the committee on credentials,
Henry Fisher, president Of the Tobacco
Workers Association, spoke to the miners
He said the union is engaged in a fight
against the American Tobacco Company
and the Continental Tobacco Company,
the trusts, not because they are trusts
but because they discharged all union en-
ployes when they absorbed local factories
over the country and replaced them with
nonunion men, women and girls. In Louis
vile, KY, he said, one of the companies pays
girls but cents an hour and in the South
negroes receive from 80 TO 80 cents a day
He said when the tobacco workers tried
TO have conference with employers in De-
troit, they did not meet them as do the coal
operators and adjust the differences, but in
stead turned the hose ON them. In one of
the factories in the East he said Ii was the
custom TO dock the men IL cents week
10 pay for washing the windows, scrubbing
and keeping the factory clean and search
them when they left the factory at night.
but the union had succeeded in abolishing
this plan.
Mr.. White, another representative of the
tobacco workers. also spoke. He said the
tobacco workers claimed the same right
TO organize as the trust, but they were dis
charged for IL. He urged the miners to
support the union by demanding the label
on the tobacco, and unless this support is
given, he said the union will fail He said
the men do not know the purchasing power
OF their money and that 80 per cent of to-
bac used Is manufactured by nonunion
factories.
AS the credentials committee gave no in
dication of submitting its report, the con-
vention adjourned till o'clock this morn
ing At IL % clock this morning the miners
will have a convention picture taken at the
monument.
1t is officially stated that the principal
question TO come before the convention Is
the difference In price paid for pick and
machine mined coal. II is stated that this
differential is not in just proportion. Ma
chine mining. in the last few years. has
made rapid strides toward deposing the
pick miner, and now IL is estimated that
% per cent of the coal mined is dug out
by machines. IL is said the discomfort of
miners increases with the further introduce
ton OF machines and there must be a more
equitable adjustment.