The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-29
POPULAR WITH MINERS
THEIR CONVENTION WILL BIZ HELD
DERE AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
Report of the Scale Committee Adopt
eel I'm Executive Session-Reso-
buttons Considered.

The first day of the second week OF the
United Mine Workers convention in Tom
linson Hall began yesterday morning by
going into executive session to adopt the
wage scale. There was some discussion
over a secret session, it being argued that
all transactions were made public anyway.
but by close vote the doors were closed.
The scale submitted was in tabuated form,
scheduled upon the base scale adopted by
the convention Saturday. The committees
report was adopted.
By an overwhelming majority the miners
decided TO hold their next annual conven-
ton in this city. Ex-President Blue, Of
Central Labor Union, invited the miners 10
return, and on behalf of the Commercial
Club, offered the miners the free use of
Tomlinson Hall. and the proposition was
accepted in short order. Other cities con-
testing for the convention were Pittsburg,
Scranton. st. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee
and Springfield and Peoria, Ill. The miners
will make an effort at the joint convention
a. Columbus. o., to bring the joint conven-
ton TO this city next year. Both were
held here last year.
OFFICERS REPORTS.
In the afternoon many resolutions prin-
were passed and then the committee on
officers reports was heard. After some
discussion the report was adopted by Sec
tons. OF important bearing was the adop-
ton of President Mitchelrs recommends
ton to organize woman's auxiliary union
The convention adopted the recommended
ton and gave the power of appointing an
organizer to President Mitchell. 1t is I'M
derstood that Mother Jones will be ap-
pointed organizer.
Another section that caused considerable
debate was the recommendation of Presi-
dent Mitchell that the membership of the
executive board be increased from eight
to ten members, and that the two new
members be chosen from the anthracite
district. John p. Reese, of Iowa, made
most serious objection to the recommended
ticn, saying there were many coal States
without representation at all, and the APP
pointment OF two new members from the
anthracite district would give that coal
region a representation OF four members
on the board, as there are already two
members. President Mitchell left the chair
to defend his recommendation. He said
that in the northern district of the an
thracite region there are 1900 miners, GO, 900
of whom are now members of the
standing, and they have no representa-
| tive on the executive board. He said he
miners to give them these two members
| III view Of the great strike that was won
| last October and the effort of striking min
ers to join the organization. The matter
| was referred to the constitution commit
tee and will be taken up to-day.
| The amendments to the revised constitu-
| ton will be considered to-day. The most
important Is the establishment of the ref
erendusn vote for the election of national Of
| ficers instead of in convention. The in
stitution committee did not concur in the
amendment. Another amendment asks that
| the nationa, officers be elected by popular
vote.
| Other amendments are that the executive
board consist of one member from each
| district, to be elected by popular vote; that
| the Office of secretary-treasurer be divided
| into two offices, that of secretary and
| treasurer, and that the duties of each Of
| ficer shall pertain strictly to the Office
| which he fills; that the initiation fee for all
members over seventeen years of age shall
be SIS; miners sons from fourteen to fifteen
years old free; from fifteen to sixteen S.;
from sixteen to seventeen SIS; that the
members of the executive board shall be
| chosen by the respective representative
| States. The amendments will be considered
4 to-day, and with that and the adoption OF
the report of the committee on officers re-
ports, the routine work of the convention
i will be finished. Other matters will be
| brought before the body, but it is believed
tonight. Thursday morning the miners
will be taken on special trains to Columbus
1 to attend the joint conference with the
| operators, which convenes in the. after
noon.
At the morning session a resolution was
| passed against compulsory arbitration, and
| another in favor of the adoption of a uni
| versal label. The latter is one of the big
! questions to come before the American
| Federation of Labor at its meeting next
| year. AS the miners have about one-third
| of the votes in the Federation of Labor, Ii
| is expected their strength will carry the
| resolution through that body.
| Yesterday afternoon Eugene V. Debs was
| to have addressed the convention, but a
| telegram was received announcing that he
/ was unavoidaby detained.
i DOWN IN THE COAL MINES.