The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-23
MITCHELL IN PIH9SBURG.
The Mine Workers President 20
Confer With Shaffcr-

Steel Trust officials Are Also in the
City, and Peace Talk Il Revived.
Alleged Discovery nf secret Anal
EHmnted Association Reports
Showing the knimus Of the Fight.
TITTSBURG. Aug. @.-The report cir
culated here this morning that there
would be a conference Of labor leaders
with Mr. Shaner today was borne out 10y
developments not the least important of
which was the appearance of John Mitch
ell. President Of the United Mine Workers,
one oi the most powerful labor organiza-
tons in the country. He was accompanied
Ly two men. one of whom was said TO be
Henry White President of the Garment
Makers OF America, and the other Ralph
NJ. Easly. Secretary OF the National civic
Federation. an organization devoted to
settling industrial troubles
Only these three men were known TO
have met Mr.. shaffer this noon, but it was
SAID that there were other labor leaders
in the city for a conference as WI as one
or two peacemakers, and, more important
still. some representatives of constituent
companies of the United States Steel Cor
poration were said 70 have arrived here
today.
one report circulated about Mr.. Mitch
ell was that lie came to PIttsburg last
night but put up in hotel on the out
skirts Of the town not far from Mr. Shat
fer's home and that ne met the strike
leader and had a long talk with him. This
report seemed TO have some foundation
Public curiosity in these developments
was considerable. Some persons thought
that it was at last the conference which
Mr.. Shaner had asked Samuel
Gornpers. Of the American Federation Of
Labor, 10 hold Others pointed out that
the gathering did not seem TO De limited
to labor leaders. on the one hand. peo-
pie were saying that Mr.. Shaner had got
ten Mr.. Mitchell and others together to
see if he could not make them support
him openly in his fight. on the other
hand. peace talk was revived and rumors
Of prospective settlement began 70 fly
about. The interest centred on Mr.. Mitch
ell If the miners should back Mr.. Shaf-
strong allies
Before going TO AmalEamated Assocla-
tion headquarters Mr.. Mitchell met }. W.
jerks, Of the Industrial Commission. at
the Hotel Henry. and they. with Messrs-
White. Easly, and ". j. Mcqueen, OF New
York. made plans for a lengthy conference
this afternoon This strengthens the re-
port that negotiations for "a settlement OF
the strike are 10 be revived
NEW YORK, Aug. 23.-The Pittsburg
correspondent Of the Evening Sun
claims TO have procured a copy OF the
official journal Of the AmaIgamated Asso-
ciation's convention. held In Milwaukee
last June. and he has telegraphed d
lengthy synopsis Of the executive session
secrets this journal reveals He says:
THE strikers had been preparing for
over a year to follow the expected refusal
Of ShaffeTs demand that the corporation
uniouize all its mills. Instead Of being a
strike 10 preserve organized labor from
the hostility Of the trust il is a strike
started and carried on I'm hostility TO the
trust and part Of an 8vOwed plan 10
form a trust Of labor the like Of which
the world has never seen The arbitra ~
. demand that nOu-union men be herded in
10 the Amalgaamted Association Of Iron,
Steel. and Tin Workers was made because
the nOn-union men were too lethargic' %
wish 20 improve their conditions des-
pite all the efforts Of the Amalgamated u
organize them.
When the AmaIgamated ultirnaturu
- went forth IL proceeded from an associa-
ion which had been losing lodges. mem
sers, and money under Shaners control
and Il had not 1880 members IN the
plants Of six of the Steel Corporation
companies out Of the 5000 OF so skilled
Eorkmen who were eligible TO member
ship. to say nothing OF the 10000 and
more unskilled laborers also eligible witr
certain restrictions"
The article claims that examination o
the journal shows that when the strik,
was declared the AmaIgamated Associa
ticn had lG0 active subordinate lodges witt
a total Of only 1889 members and a bal
ance in the treasury Of only S74.Sgs. Thi
Significant exhibit is made on page COS
Of the Journal IN Comparative table o
the numerical and financial growth an,
the decline Of the Association since 10
institution. August T. 1876, running p,
years from convention 90 convention"
The table shows that the organization
was weaker in numbers for the year end
ed in May last, than IL was the year be
fore. In the twelve months between tn
Indianapolis convention and the recen
convention at Milwaukee. the AmaIga
mated lost ground 1t had twenty-on
lodges less and showed a total loss o
membership Of 143- Gradually the uniol
had been recuperatine from the disas
trous Homestead strike in 1892 until May
1900. Then il began again 10 decline. Tn,
article continues:
According TO careful estimates ther
are $500 members Of the AmaIgamate,
employ cd in the plants Of the Republic
Iron and Steel Company. and J.. 600 NOR
are employed in independent plants, Ieav
ing bu- s.5s2 members of the union en-
ployed in the mills Of the Steel Corporation
before the strike. The failure OF hundred
Of these 10 come out reduces to less thar
5000 certainly and probably to somewher
near 5000 the number Of actual striker
against the Steel Corporation II viii D,
seen from this how greatly oycr-ostimate,
has been the size Of the strike army which
Shaffer commands nominally. il is as
tonishiug 10 note what small proportion
Of the skilled wOrkmen in the corpora
tion's mills the Amalgamated men form
I'd and what a ridicuousIy small proper
tion they bore 10 the number eligible &
membership in the Amalgamated'
Mr. knox Goes TO PittsburG.
Attorney General Knox left the cit,
yesterday for Pittsburg. He will be ab
sent for about a week
<arv g.ngI r,g,