The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-21

that the entire country was interested in the proceedings. After some debate for and against the request the corre- spondents won, but no sooner had the convention started to proceed to the regular business than a delegate rose and objected to the presence of the newspaper representatives if the strik- CTS who are not delegates and who are standing in great numbers on the street in front of the hall could not be admit ted A desultory debate followed and suddenly a rush was heard in the upper gallery Some one had burst open the doors from the outside and the theatre was soon filled with almost as many union men who were not delegates as there were delegates. Confusion reign ed for a time and President Mitchell, af- ter he had restored quiet, came to the rescue and suggested that the public be permitted to remain until the convention reached such business that would war rant the strikers in closing the doors.
 This was adopted and the strike leader began reading his carefully prepared opening address.
 MitchlI's Speech.
 The address follows:
 "Gentlemen: In opening this convention for the transaction of business, l take pleasure in extending warm greeting and welcome to the accredited representatives of the 150,00O men and boys wnose heroic struggle for living wages and American conditions of employment has won the admiration of the whole civilized world. For five long months the eyes of tho nation has been centered upon your ac- tions, and it is pleasure to say that the great heart of the American people throbbed in sympathy with you. It is of course a source of deep regret that the millions of underpaid workmen of our great cities should be the most acute suf- ferers by reason of this contest between ourselves and our employers. But hun dreds upon hundreds of those who suf- fered most from lack of fuel sent words of commendation and encouragement to us and in many instances declared that they would endure any privation in order that the miners and their families might secure sufficient wage to enable them to enjoy a little happiness and sunshine instead of the gloom and sadness which has been their lot for many years.
 Grateful to Public.
 "The debt of gratitude we owe our fellow workers in this and other lands, the debt of gratitude we owe a generous public and a friendly press, who have supported and sustained us during this memorable strike cannot ever be ade- quately repaid
 For our opponents we entertain no feeling of malice. We now should hold out to them the hand of friendship and ask them to join us in providing for such business relations as shall for all time establish peace and tranquility in the coal fields.
 ''The grave question which you have been called upon to consider today de- mands and must receive your most careful thought Personally I should have preferred an adjustment of the difficulties existing in the anthracite field by conference with the anthracite mine owners and without the intervention of agencies not directly involved, but I recognize the fact that relations between ourselves and the operators have be- come so strained as to render direct ne- gotiations at this time impossible If the consequences of this strike affected only the interests of the operators and mine workers there would be less reason for the intervention of a third party but the fact that a coal famine was upon the people of eastern and seaboard states and threatened to become national calamity justified the action of the chief executive of our nation in his earnest effort to bring about an early resump- ton of mining.
 Urges Acceptance.
 ''The proposition submitted for your consideration may have objectionable features and in it's detail may not meet with the unanimous approavl or our people, but it is immeasurably better as now presented than when originally or fered by the representatives of the coal corporations I am firm in my convic- tion that the prompt acceptance or this proposal will secure to the anthracite mine workers and those dependent upon them a greater measure of justice than they could obtain by continuing the con fict; I believe that the prompt accept ance of this proposition will secure to the mine workers a greater degree of justice than they have enjoyed in the past.
 ssrhe people of our country await with anxious expectancy the result of your action today; the eyes of a nation are centered upon you and friends and foes alike demand the submission of issues involved in this strike to the tribunal nominated by the President of the United States"
 Closest Attention Paid.
 The address was followed with the closest attention by the delegates. Those who expected him to tell all he knew or the situation with reference to the arDi- traitor commission and the question ol having all the men obtain their former positions were disappointed, as he re- served this for his later remarks when the question was actually brought be- fore the delegates At various stages or the reading of the address, MT. Mltcnei was applauded, but when he urged the delegates to adopt the recommendations of the executive. boards to call off the strike and all men are then to work n the positions they occupied before the strike was inaugurated," tremendous ap- plause greeted the remark. The moment he finished a Wilkesbarre delegate was on his feet and moved that the recom- mendations contained in President Mitch els address be adopted If this had been acted upon at once the strike would have been off, and the conventions work done, but those in opposition would not have it that way. They wanted to and did de- bate the matter until the adjournment after 5 o'clock. A Panther Creek en- gineer was the first to take the floor in
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