The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-03-19
THUS THE UNION DECIDES
1t is Believed That tAe Operators
Will Refuse.
AND A STRIKE NOW SEEMS INEVITABLE
The Most important Dsmand Of the Miners is
Recognition of Their Union. The Con-
ventiOu AdjOurns. Leaders 10 Meet
- Cos,nto. Mu.I.,
at ScrantOu Monday.
(By the Associated Press.)


Hazleton, Pa, March 16.-By ui M
nous vote the delegates to the Un
Mine Workers Convention, which
been in session in this city for nearly
week today, decided to suspend work at
all anthracite mines unless the opera
tors agreed to meet The miners execu-
tive board in joint conference before
April 1st.
A strike seems inevitable.
The operators have steadfastly re-
fused to recognize the miners as a body
and therefs not the remotest indication
that the operators viii pay any atten-
ton to the demands by President
Mitchell and other members of the
executive board, that they meet the
miners in joint conference to adjust
grievances
The resolution authorizing the Nation
al Executive Board to declare a strike
is as follows;
Whereas, We have on several occa-
sions invited and implored operators to
mutually agree upon and establish a
scale of wages and conditions of en-
ployment for the term of one year, and
Whereas, They have repeatedly ig-
nored our invitations and treated us
with contemptuous silence, scorning our
invitations and demands alike, and
Whereas, We believe that we are en-
titled to much more consideration than
xrrn
meet with those who employ us and are
our equals under the law and Constitu-
ton Of our country, and with them
discuss and decide ms lters of mutual
interest; therefore be il
Resolved, That we authorize our Ma
tional President, National Board and
officers of Districts One, Seven and
Nine to negotiate, if possible, for
joint conference of miners and opera
tors between this date and the first of
April, 1901 In the event of their fail
ure to secure joint conference they
may, by majority vote, decide the
policy of our movement even If it is ne
cessary to resort to a suspension Of
work to force the justice due us pro-
ducers of wealth fully equal with our
employers.
The convention adjourned after the
adoption of the resolution and Presi-
dent Mitchell and the officers of the
three anthracite districts held a secret
conference, at which plans We're dis
cussed for bringing about the desired
meeting between operators and miners.
1t was decided that President Mitchell
and the presidents of the three districts
would hold another conference at
Scranton on Monday, when their plans
will be completed.
President Mitchell left for Scranton
tonight and will make that city his
headquarters for the present.
In an interview he admitted the
probability of a strike, but said he
would prefer to make no definite state
ment in that respect pending the ne
gotiations. He said, however. that tho
delegates were a unit in their approval
of the action taken.
Regarding our chances for success.
l prefer not to talk said Mr. Mitchell.
THE conventions actions show what
the mine workers believe their chances
to be. Every one said last fall that the
miners would not win, yet they Won.
Words cannot express how we regret
being forced to consider such step.
The Miners Union stands for peace.
but it is upon a firm foundation"
The most important demand the
miners will make, it is said, is recogni-
tion of their union, which was not in
sisted upon during the strike last year.
and uniform wage scale.
In order to bring about the latter
condition. a slight advance, it is said
will be asked for by the men in the Le-
high, Schuykill and Wyoming regions.
Considerable bitterness has been en-
gendered among the delegates by the
refusal of the mine owners to confer
with them, and man. of them claim
that last years Scranton agreement has
been violated by the employers. on this
account they assert their determination
to insist on proper adjustment of their
grievances.