The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-29
United Mine Workers VIII Lay Down Their Tools
 July 4
OPERATORS AND MINERS
 EQUALLY DETERMINED
Strong Speeches Were Made Yester. day, But Neither Side Was Will Ing to Yield--A Settlement
 Looked for Later.

'1 might say that our part of the scale committee are willing to meet the opera tors in joint session if they so desire. and if it is not their pleasure, we will go home, and on the first day of July, 11,5OO miners will lay down their tools. and the tools will lay down until victory crowns our efforts"
 These words of confidence were address ed to the operators yesterday morning by Chairman Ed Flynn. in the joint con- vention of operators and miners at Fox's hall. They were spoken calmly and delib- erately and were received in the same spirit. Indeed no surprise whatever was displayed by either operator or miner, as 1t was evident to those who had made careful study of the situation for the two proceeding days that satisfactory set tlement was very dim and uncertain possibility. There seemed to be no dispo- sition on either side to argue the question to any extent Each probably realized that the expressed determination of the other. for the present at least. was sim cere, and the changed conditions which further time and deliberation would pre- sent would tend to bring them closer together than any argument that could be advanced in session where each had made a display of it's strength and posi- tion and had declared its determination to stand or fall by the issue
 At 1925 o'clock the convention was called to order by Chairman Flynn. After the convention was in order w. R. Fair ley was requested to take the chair, and MT. Flynn addressed the convention as follows:
 FIynn's Speech.
 MT. Chairman and gentlemen of the convention. We have met in Is hall from time to time, both operators and miners, and 1t seems that we are not get ting any closer together than we were the first morning we met. The joint scale committee has met and 1t seems that they cannot reach any agreement Now, I want to say to the operators this morn ing honestly and frankly, that I believe in my opinion, that the miners are In this convention for the last time unless you are in a position to grant us some of the concessions we have asked might state that hardly understand t.e posi- ton the operators have taken In this con- vention. You have made no attempt to suggest anything to the convention. It seems to me as if you are pursuing the policy of delay. It has been circulated in this convention that we would have to refer this matter back to our locals We are here this morning for the purpose
 
 back to work We came here with these instructions and we propose to live up to those instructions. l might say that our part of the scale committee are will ling to meet the operators in joint ses- sion if they so desire, and if it .s not their pleasure, we will go home. and on the first day of July, 1,500 miners will lay down their tools. and the tools wi.. lay down until victory crowns our efforts We have offered to do everything that was fair. We have submitted our plans to you. and we are willing to meet you again this morning and see If we can ar rive at some settlement. and I want to say to you seriously that unless the op- orators recede from the stand they have taken. we may as well go back home and tell our constituents that we could not arrive at settlement and we may as we'll quit work until the operators grant some of our demands.
 Tt has been circulated, I understand, among some of the operators, that some of the miners are weakening and will not quit work. want to say to you that if you believe this you are never more mistaken in your lives.
 Now. I don't know as there is any thing more for us to say. We have said all that can be said. and as I stated be- fore, we dre willing to try to arrive at some agreement, but If you are not will ing to meet us in this way, there is no rse in taking up the time of this con vention any longer.
 Now I leave this matter with you. It Is up to you whether we will continue In peace and harmony for the next year, as we have been in the past eight years, or whether we will enter into a strike. If you are not willing to meet us, then we ere willing to strike, and strike alto gether until you grant us what we ask for"
 At the conclusion of Mfr. F'lynn's talk there was loud and continued applause cn the part of the miners. The operators smiled erimly. All were evidently ex-