The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-09-30
MAY PORTEND STRIKES END Myste.$ JUS Conference in
 sihiladelphia.
 f Pi slICPANTS ARE MUM : One Persons Identity is Kept
 Secret. President Mitchell Denies That Politics Was the Theme of Dis cussion-Quay and Penrose
 Not Consulted.
Pi slICPANTS ARE MUM

Philadelphia, Sept. 29.-A mysterious conference took place in this city today between President Mitchell of the United Mine Workers of America, Secretary Treasurer W. B. Wilson, District Presi- dents Nichols. Duffy and Faby. and an- other person whose identity the parties to the conference refused to divulge.
 At the office of the, Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company 1t was stated positively that no official of that com pany had been present at the meeting.
 A member of MT. Mitchells party who declined to allow the use of his nam ,, made the following statement:
 Any one can readily understand that only matters of the first importance in relation to the strike would bring Presi- dent Mitchell, Secretary Wilson and District Presidents Nichols, Duffy and Fahy, who form the Executive Board of the U. M. w., to this city together. There must necessarily be continued con- ferences and negotiations with the coal operating interests before the strike can be settled.''
 A Mysterious Conference.
 Messrs. Mitchell and Wilson arrived here early today from Pittsburg, where they held a conference last Friday. The three district presidents and J. J. Keegal, business agent of the, International As- sociation of Machinsts. met the miners chief at the railway station. After a nasty breakfast the party proceeded to the office of MT. Keegan. After remain ing there about thirty minutes, President Mitchell went to the Hotel Walton and was shown to a private room. Later he summoned his associates and the five miners officials were there closeted with the my5teriuos parsonage for nearly three hours.
 At the conclusion of the conference MT. Mitchell and the three district presidents left over the Pennsylvania Railroad for Wilkesbarre and Secretary Wilson de- parted for Indianapolis.
 Senator Quay was not in the city and Senator Penrose denied having any com munication, directly or indirectly, with MT. Mitchell. Before leaving the city, MT. Wilson said: You can state emphatical- ly that MT. Mitchell's visit has nothing to do with politics and is without polit- ical significance"
 President Mitchell declined positively to make any statement concerning the object of his visit here.
 Birmingham, Sept. 29.-(Special. 1.-The State Executive Board of the United Mine Workers of America. has been call ed to meet tomorrow at noon in the of flee of President Ed Flynn for the pur- pose of taking action on the matter of a suspension of work at No. mines of the Pratt City mines and West Pratt. where 700 men are idle because the Tennessee Coal. Iron and Railroad Company refuses to collect the $1 assessment from every member of the organization as ordered by the United Mine Workers, the same to be forwarded to the strikers in the Anthra- cite fields of Pennsylvania. The Com pany claims that some of the miners ob- ject to the money being taken from their earnings and the company has no right, legally or morally, to take 1t. The of- ficials of the United Mine Workers claim that their contract with the company provides that all dues and assessments are to be collected by the company. The prosperity of the district is threatened somewhat and action by the Board to- morrow Is being watched closely.