The sun., 1901-03-14
MINE WORKERS SESSION.
CONVENTION GETS INTO RUNNING
ORDER AND BEGINS BUSINESS.
The Delegates Select Committees In Executive
Session and Adjourn Mother Jones Get,
an tproartous Greeting In the Open Meet
Ing Mitchell Non & Committai as to q Strike.

HAzLEroN. Pa. March is--The mine
workers convention got down 10 business
this morning by elccting John Mitchell per-
nanent President. John Gallagher. Secre-
tary; George Hartlein. Assistant Secretary;
T.. T.. kapp, Sergeant-at-Arrns and John
Sharp, Doorkeeper. The committee on Gre
dentisls reported that there were coo dele
gates present. representing $40 local associa-
tions. OF these the Scranton district sent
sit delegates from i83 locals. the Shamokin
district is2 delegates from I2i locals and
the Hazleton district iW delegates from
40 locals. This makes the largest at
tendance at any convention Of mine workers
ever held IN the anthracite field. At the
convention last August which declared for
n strike there were only 252 delegates present.
representing la7 locals
While the report Of the Credentials Com
mitter was being read Mother Jones' the
female aritator who figured prominently
In last years strike. appeared on the stage
and was greeted with great applause. After
Mother Jones" had Yielded 10 repeated calls
for speech and made a few remarks the
Committee on Rule, reported that two Sos
sions wou'! be held daily and defined other
rules Of minor iWpurtanC".
President Mitchell then read the call for
the convention e~ued Al Indianapolis IN
February. to the locals of this region, which
said that the OBJ pCf of this convention was
to secur" the agreement To was. -cnle for
the ensuing year and to ask, the operators
70 meet the miners in Joint conference. MIR.
Mitchell also said that invitations had been
sent 10 the Presidents Of the nine anthracite
coal carving railroads asking them to meet
the men in joint conference.
ONLY one r"nlr had been received, and that
was from "-ideut Olymphant OF the Della
ware and Hudson Cnmpanv who laid thar
ctta 4 dejd had joined il, asking for a corfor-
cnce. nat he saw no u"CoS~Nv for the holding
of one TINT n employees oi me COMPANY
had anv grievance To- make thev could %
50 hv comforting With it, oficinl- that he did
not ehnr" president Mitchell views on the
mutual benefit 'o operators and miners T"-
sultiny from a conferences that sinca the set
tlcweni Of the trouble last autumn petty
strikes had increased In mum hor. that during
eIuplnyre- slo. 500 geo and the stock holders
had received 81. 500. On in dividends. tcndinE
to show that th" propnruonntr prnhts of
holders of stock ar" small. that conierenc"
voull couso dl-'urhauc" in the coal trade
AVID that tho lns-o- incurred through such
di>turhanc" would not compensate Tor m"
result. accomplished
During thc noon races Pros ident Mitchell
was n cod VhnfhDr he believed that a strike
was lik.,, 80 cn-ua H." replied
That is y matter which has not a yet
hcoi o,r'clally considered bv the convention,
and therefore hsv" nothing to say regarding
that outcome
When asked ghcttor. he, would aNlrm the
statement Hf'rihUfcl ~ him last autumn
20 me cf",' that the posting OF th. notices
hy the corrUgui"- agreeing to pay the In
creased wages d"r3n""h ~, IN" miner
va- su'7c,rut recognition of ~" orCanl2A-
ton. he rcpli"l
'Wc want a coufcrcnc" with the operators
50 that an urdorefuudiuC can ho reached
'or tho ensuing Ncar. and that certain sricV-
auces complained ~ NAV b" rem"disd on an
n,uirnhir basis \ Joint conference l. the only
humane. up-to-lft" and @clCutiNc method
~ settling labor troubles ! am pleased
with IN" unRuimoua manner In which the con
yention set Itself AGAINST compulsory arhi-
Tho afternoon session wa4 executive, buy