Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-01-30
UNITED MINE WORKERS
WILL FINISH UP TODAY.
PRESIDENT MITCHELL SPEAKS
FRANKLY REGARDING HIS
SALARY.
SAYS He WORKS FOR THE PAY.
RADICAL CHANGES MADE IN THE
EXECUTIVE BOARD.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, January 90
The constitutional amendment present
ed to the convention of the United
Mine Workers of America at the after
noon session to-day providing an in
crease in the salaries of the national
officers provoked long argument and
resulted in the salaries remaining as
they were last year. Members of the
committee on constitution recommend
ed the adoption of the amendment and
after long debate President Mitchell
said:
Gentlemen, l am not here for the
purpose of making any grand stand
play. l work for the miners because
you pay me and because l like to work
for you, but l am free to say that if
you did not pay me would not work
The salary paid me is very fair and
if l thought the organization did not
pay me as much as I deserved | would
not quit. l would strike.
by all means do not let the adj
vancement of any individual rise
above the interests of the United Mine
Workers. If you think the raising of
my salary will deprive any man, wo-
man or child of what is due them
then for Gods sake do not raise it."
Vice President Lewis, who would
have received a liberal increase under
the proposed amendment said:
IF I did not think was getting
fair salary l would strike too. Per-
sonally, l think an increase in the
salaries of the national officers at this
time would work an injury to the Or
ganization."
The power to order a general strike
or suspension of labor in the mines
was to-day taken out Of the hands Of
the national officers who have hereto
fore had absolute control in this par
ticular. An amendment to the con-
stitution makes it necessary to call
together the district presidents TO
take action upon general strikes.
The report of the committee on con-
stitution was not finished to-day. The
work of the convention will be com
pleted tomorrow.
To-day the construction of the exc
cutive board, the controlling body, was
radically changed. At present the
board is composed of eight members
elected at the national conventions by
a ballot vote.
President Mitchell recommended that
the board be increased to ten members
and that the two additional members
come from the anthracite districts.
The committee on constitution in its
report recommended that the officers
Of the organization consist of zone
president, one vice president, a secre-
ary-treasurer, an executive board Of
10 members, three of whom shall be the
president, vice president and secretary
treasurer
Vice President Lewis moved to amend
by striking out all after the words sec
retary-treasurer" and inserting, AN ex-
ecutive board to be composed of one mem
Der from each district, such member to
be elected by the district from which he
comes; the president vice president and
secretary-treaSurer to be members of the
board"
Many speeches were made for and
against the amendment, which finally was
adopted-257 to 212
1t was decided to ask the membership
at large to vote on the advisability Of
making contracts for two years instead
of yearly. also that the mine workers
journal shall be printed hereagter entire
~ in English.
CARNEGIE'S PLANS