Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-07-29
MINERS ASK MILLION.
APPEAL TO PEOPLE TO AID AN
THRAClTE STRIKE.
Convention Adopts Mi4cheDps RecC-.l-
mendafions-LocaI Ugions Are As
sessed for Maintenance Fund Public
Opinion Urged for Arbitration.

Having declared against a general
strike, adopted a report calling on the
American people to contribute 81 zoos 900
a month TO aid the striking anthracite
miners. provided for maintenance fund
and issued stirring appeal to public
opinion, the United Mine Workers con-
vention in Indianapolis sang America"
at 1 O'clock Saturday afternoon and ad-
journed
The appeal to the public recited at
length the hardships and low wages of
the miners, declared thar they had lived
up TO the letter and spirit of their con-
tracts and still refused TO violate them,
intimated that the purpose of the oper-
ators was to destroy the miners union
and then urged the people at large to
bring all possible pressure to bear on the
officers of the anthracite coal interests to
induce them 10 treat considerably the
appeal of the miners for arbitration.
One of The features of the session was
an address by Mother JONES'" which
was received enthusiastically by the con-
yention She urged the delegates to OPP
pose at the Congressional elections this
fall every man who was favorable to
government by injunction"
The recommendations brought in by
the special committee appointed We're
practically identical with those suggested
by President Mitchell in his address on
the first day of the convention and We're
adopted unanimously by the convention.
Following is an extract from the min
ers' appeal to the people:
If 1t is the purpose of the coal operators
to destroy our union, then upon the prin-
ciple that self-preservation Is the first law
of nature would be fully justified in
taking drastic measures to prevent the ac.
complishment of their designs. We believe
we have within our reach the means by
which that purpose can be thwarted. No
legal power can compel us TO work If we
desire to remain idle.
There Is no more reason why we should
be required to sell our labor a lower price
than we are asking for 1t than that mem
Der of corporation should be compelled to
sell his stock when he wants to Keep it.
We believe that our interests IN the COM
munity of which we are part and our OBJ
legation TO the operators with whom we
have agreements, require that we shall not
inaugurate a general suspension Of work in
the coal trade They may destroy cur
union, but they cannot make us violate orr
contracts.
The reading of the report of the COM
mittee and the appeal to the public was
listened to in absolute silence but as the
voice of Secretary Wilson ceased there
came a tremendous cheer from the dele
gates that foreshadowed their unanimous
adoption which followed few minutes
later.
Some amendments to the report of the
committee Were Offered. the most ma
teIial of them being that the assessment
of the officers be cut from % per cent to
10 per cent. All the amendments were
voted down aIL.a motion declaring de-
bate closed was passed.
The question OF the adoption of the re-
port of the committee was then put and
carried by rising vote, every delegate
being on his feet
The miners of Illinois announced that
they have appropriated $50, 900 from their
treasury for the support of the anthracite
strike. Ohio gave $4,000 and Iowa and
Indiana promised contributions to be
made later.
President Mitchell declared that there
was approximately $1,000,000 in the
treasures of the various local unions and
that his construction of the clause direct
ing the union to contribute what they
could afford" was one-half of this money.
The convention was then adjourned by
the singing of America"
Immediately after the adjournment
President Mitchell called the meeting to
order again TO hear a belated report from
a committee appointed early in the week |
to prepare resolutions of coincidence on |
the recent mine disasters in Pennsylvania
and Utah. This report ceasured sharply
District Mine Inspector Roderick of
Pennsylvania ''for allowing work to be
commenced in mine before all the corps
es had been removed"
President Mitchell requested that the
report be held until the matter could be
Investigated personally by the officers of
the union, and the report was referred to
them for future action.
The convention then adjourned for the
Saaond fima