The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-19
SEVERAL METHODS PROPOSED
AT UNITED MINE WORKERS
CONVENTION
ts-
LITTLE PROBABILITY
OF A GENERAL STRIKE
President MitcheII's Recommendation
Are Referred to Special Committee,
Which Will Report Today-WiII
Cost $5oo,ooo Week to Support Men
in Various Districts Now Out.


the conclusion of secret session. which
lasted the entire afternoon, the recon-
mendations of President Mitchell for
the management of the anthracite
strike were referred to a special COM
mittee which is to report back to the
convention when it meets tomorrow
morning. This committee consists Of
President Mitchell, Vice President
Lewis and Secretary Wilson and the
president of each district which is TAX
ing part in the convention.
The committee remained in session
until midnight, when it adjourned
without completing it's work. 1t will
reconyene at 9 o'clock tomorrow morn
ing While it's task is unfinished, it is
| practically certain that the committee
will urge the adoption of the recon-
mendations of President Mitchell and
the levying upon the members of the
union of an arbitrary assessment of
81 per week, where there is no check
Office, and of 10 per cent per week in
localities where there is a check Of
flee. 1t was also decided to use all the
funds to be raised for the strikers in
the anthracite district.
At the opening of the executive SeS-
| sion Vice President Lewis took the
| floor and delivered an energetic speech
| on the amendment offered by Delegate
| Haskins in the morning to the effect
| that the fund to be raised for the aid Of
| the anthracite miners be extended to
| all of the striking miners where there
striking has been sanctioned by the
| general organization.
ChouId Cara f0r All Minane
He declared that he thought all Of
| the miners should be taken care of in
| like manner. He also warned the con-
| vention that it would be necessary for
| the convention to so word it's recon-
mendations as to avoid the laws of
Pennsylvania, which, he said, might
| cause trouble when an attempt was
] made to collect the assessments of the
men through the check offices by bring
| ing about injunction to restrain alleged
| conspiracy. President Mitchell then
| took the floor to speak for the adop-
! tion of the. recommendation made in
| his speech yesterday. He told the con-
vention that the strikers in West Vir-
| ginfa and elsewhere were being pro-
tected by the organization by the as
sessments of the union, but the assess
ments which were under discussion
were not necessary for the support of
the anthracite strike alone and should
not be diverted from its purpose.
Other Strikes May Come.
''It is possible that other strikes may
| come" he said, "and then under the
| precedent which a general distribution
| of the fund to be raised, would create,
| these later strikes could claim their
| share in the fund, and it would be so
| depleted as to fail entirely of it's pur-
| pose."
He declared that the cost of main
tanning strikes varied according to
| places and conditions.
In the anthracite regions" he said,
| the country is thickly settled. There
| are mills and factories and it is possi-
! BILE for the men on strike to secure en-
ployment. They are then no burden
on the general organization, but are
| even able to help it. In West Virginia,
| for instance, there are but two voca-
| t1onS for the Undermining or farm
| ing. The latter is out of the question
| for the great part of the men, if not
for all Of them, and they then have no
chance for employment when on a
| strike.
ut costs much more per capita to
=
In the anthracite regions. The an
thrac1te strike is, in fact, the cheap
est strike that we can have. 1t is
easier to maintain than any other, and
| we should not allow it to go down to
defeat by diverting the funds neces-
sary for it,
Won't Split Anthracite Fund.
Mr.. Mitchell assured the convention
that the strike in the Pittsburg dis
trict and all other strikes would be
| looked after without splitting up the
fund for the anthracite men, and again
| urged the men to dismiss from their
minds all thought Of a general strike.
His remarks were greeted with enthu-
| siastic cheers.
President Dolan, of District 8, Pitts
burg, secured the floor to explain con-
ditions in his district. He had said in
the morning session that his district
had not received, and that the aid it
| had received had been insufficient, and
President Mitchell had rejoined that
the Pittsburg district had received
from the national organization the ex-
act sum which the officers of that dis
trict had said would be necessary to
win the strike.
Mr.. DOlan made a long explanation
of the manner in which the money had
| been expended, and told Of the condi-
tons in the surrounding district of
| Plttsburg. When Mr.. Dolan had con-
cluded several delegates made short
speeches asking the convention to
hasten matters. A vote was then taken
on the Haskins amendment and it was
voted down by decisive majority.
How to Raise Assessment.
This left before the convention the
original motion for the adoption Of the
Communications of the president. A
number of amendments were then Of
fered, all relating to the manner in
which the assessment should be made
One by Mr.. Ryan. of Illinois, favored
10 per cent of the net earnings of the
members Of the union, another by Vice
President LOWS, 10 per cent of the
gross earnings, and third by Secre-
tary Wilson suggested that in some
districts the assessment should be
made on the percentage basis, and In
others on the basis of 81 per week.
These were all pending when Secre-
tary Wilson offered an amendment
that the matter be referred to a com
mittee made of three highest officers OF
the national organization and the pres
idents Of districts represented In con-
vention. This prevailed and an ad-
journment was taken until tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock.
AT the conclusion of the session Sec
retary Wilson said:
| STt will o0ct EEn0 nm