The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-23
UNITED MINE WORKERS.
President MItcheII's Address to the
indianapolis Convention.

AnuG8 nDOtGS convention.
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 2S.-The prinei-
pal feature of the convention of the Unit
ed Mine Workers of America today was
the address Of President Mitchell
President Mitchell declared that the an
thraeite strike in Pennsylvania stands
| out in bold relief as the most remarkable
contest between labor and capital IN the
Industrial history of our nation; remaFka-
bic because it involves a greater number
Of persons than any other industrial con-
| test: because of the entire absence OF law
1essness on the part Of those who engaged
| in the strike and last. but not least. be-
cause it was the only great contest in
i which the workers came out entirely and
| absolutely victorious.
! Continuing. he said: Since the termi-
! nation Of the strike the miners have Sc
| cured the semi monthly pay at mary Of
/ TIE mines: the privilege OF placing check
/ weighmen and check docking bosses on the
| tippies- From Geo T.o we're IN God 5 and
! ing at the inception OF the strike more
/ than 100. coo are now members and l feel
! confident that the tine is not far remote
when. if the present policy in regard 0
/ that field is continued. harmonious rela-
/ tons viii be established between opera
/ tors and miners"
He reported the strike IN Arkansas and
indian Territory still unsettled with 800
men idle Re admitted that more men
have been imported into that district and
that more coal is now being produced
5hera than before the strike was inaugu-
rated
he urged that resolutions De adopted,
petitioning the Governor Of Maryland %
PARDON Organizer William Warner and
Eve other union miners who are serving
six months terms in the Maryland House
Of Correction On charges Of holding un-
( lawfilI assemblages during the time the
Maryland operators were attempting 10
induce striking miners to return 10 work.
The increase in wages last year amount
cd 20 So. coo, 600 ami $40 per capita
/ The increase in membership was los
I per cent. There are now ISg, 329 mem
I bers- Last year there was spent for or
/ ganization So, 2S6, or 63 cents for each
I person organized. Mr.. Mitchell expressed
! keen disappointment because some local
/ unions declined to pay the assessment OF
/ p cents Per member per month as re-
/ lief fund for those on strike.
The enormous and constantly increas-
/ ing production OF machine mine coal -
I continued Mr. Mitchell, "forcibly empha-
sizes our claim that the differences be-
! tween the prices paid for machine mining
/ and hand-plcklDg mining are not relative;
and that the advantages il cost Of prodDc-
ton are decidedly in faycT Of the machine
nine operator. who enjoys advantages in
the market to which I feel he is not en-
titled. I am unalterably opposed to a
system which places a premium On ma
/ chinery, all the benefits Of which are Civ
ea TO the mine owners II machine min
ing IS TO be the system through which
coal is to be produced in the future, and
If the cost of production is thereby less
ened, labor is entitled to and should re
eeive q reasonable portion Of the financial
advantages, and I advise the delegates
who attend the joint convention to. ii
possible, correct in our next agreement
this Objectionable feature
He further urged that the agreement
provide for miners being paid for the
product before il is screened. He favored
the organization of Wonen's auZiliaries
and insisted that the incoming officers b
empowered to employ a competent WoIlar
10 take charge Of such department. h
recommended that bIacksmiths. engineers
and other mine employees should become
members of the mine workers OrganiZa-
ton. and that the next agreement viii
operators, to be made in March be foi
two years instead of che. and that a join
board of arbitration be appointed TO set
tie differences which cannot be adjusted
in the ordinary way