The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-20

Continued From First Page.
this position. Hoping to secure better
treatment than we have received in
the past and fair recompense for our
labor, we sought to accomplish this by
concihatory methods, by submitting
disputed points to arbitration, and by
a refusal to work upon the terms of
Iered us commonly spoken of as
strlkes(, when all other means Of adj
Justing the grievances complained of
have failed.
Tried Honorable Means.
"One hundred and fifty thousand of
our craftsmen in the anthracite region
OF Pennsylvania have sought to secure
better wages and relief from many
calling conditions under which they
have been compelled to labor in the
past. They have tried by every hon
orable means known to civilized men
to adjust the grievances with their
employers without resorting to a
strike. In this they have failed be-
cause the employers have assumed to
be the only parties interested in all
the questions involving the operation
of the mines, position that has not
been sustained by the conditions ex-
listing since a stoppage of work has
taken place.
Some of the coal operators have
been quoted as saying that the ques-
tlon is not of wages or other conditions
OF employment, but that they believe it
to be an Opportune time to destroy the
union. Whether they have made this
statement or not their actions indicate
that their purpose is to destroy our or
ganizatiOn.
If it the purpose of the coal oper-
ators to destroy our union, then, upon
| the principle that self preservation is
the hrSt law of nature, we would be
fully justified in taking drastic meas
ures to prevent the accomplishment of
their designs. We believe we have
within our reach the means by which
that purpose can be thwarted. No le-
gal power can compel us to work if
we desire to remain idle. st's
VIII Not Violate Contracts.
I'VE believe our interests in the
community, of which we are a part
and our obligations to the operators,
with whom we have agreements, re-
quire that we shall not inaugurate a
general suspension of work in the coal
! trade. They may destroy our union,
but they cannot make us violate our
contracts.
The struggle in the anthracite re-
gion will be continued until our de-
mands have been granted or a COM
petent board of arbitration has de-
clared that we are wrong. We ap-
peal to the people at large to bring
all possible pressure to bear on the
officers and stockholders of the an
thracite coal carrying railroads and
other anthracite coal interests to treat
considerably the appeals of their en-
| plOyeS for arbitration
The care of 100000 men and their
| families in protracted struggle, such
as this is likely to be, will require the
! expenditure of a large sum of money
in the purchase of food. Our own re-
sources are limited. We have levied
a large assessment on those of our
members who are; at work to assist
us in caring for those who are on
| strike.
More Money Is Needed.
I'VE need more money for that pur-
| pose, and we appeal to every trade
union and trade unionist, to every Cit
izen whose interests are involved and
| to every lover of fair play, to assist
us in raising $1,000,000 per month from
/ outside sources as long as the strike
may last.
eve believe that with this amount
| of money, together with the amount
| received from our own members, we
| can continue the struggle until JUS
! tice has been secured for the anthra-
! cite Miners
Cheer Greets the Report.
$3.50
The reading of the report of the
committee, and the appeal to the pub
| lie was listened to in absolute silence,
but as the voice of Secretary Wilson
ceased there came a tremendous cheer
| from the delegates that foreShadoWed
| their unanimous adoption which fol-
| lowed a few minutes later.
The miners of Illinois announced
that they have appropriated $4,000
from their treasury for the support of
the anthracite strike. Ohio gave &c.
/ 900 and Iowa and Indiana promised
| contributions to be made later.
President Mitchell declared that
there was approximately 81 100000 in
the treasures of the various local
unions, and that his construction of
the clause directing the unions to con-
tribute 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 q belated re-
| port from a committee appointed early
| in the week to prepare resolutions of
| coincidence upon the recent mine dis
| asters in Pennsylvania and Utah. This
| report censured sharply District Mine
Inspector Roderick, of Pennsylvania,
| "for allowing work to be commenced
| in a mine before all the corpSeS 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 re-
| port was referred to them for future
| action.
The convention then adjourned for