The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-13
MINERS To MEET
IN BIRMINGHAM
Adjourn Without Settling Coal
Cutting Machine Matter
COLOR QUESTl0NCOMESU UP
AS Vice President Is Negro It Was De-
clded to Fill Any Possible Vacancy
In Presidency BY the Dis
trict Board. AZ
COLOR QUESTlONCOM

.Bessemer, December 12.-CSpecial.)- 1.-THE
miners convention adjourned sine die
this. afternoon at 4:sO. They voted to hold
the next convention next June In Biz
mingham.
The first business of Importance taken
UP today was the report of tie committee
of a scale for machine mining. There Is
considerable uneasiness felt by many OF
the miners regarding this matter. They
fear that 1t may be an entering wedge
that may disrupt their union. They as
sert that one operator with machine
can mine as much coal as four miners
with picks and shovels and blast, and
that the result of their Introduction would
be decrease of employment. as less
number of men would be required; and
then again, that it would not require
skilled miners to operate machine, and
hence the coal operators could more
readily disunionize their mines.
Machine mining is now in vogue at the
Mary Lee mines, owned by the Alabama
Consolidated Coal and Iron company, and
1t is said to work very satisfactorily and
economically there; so much so that
many other operators propose to intro
duce and utilize them, hence the miners
found It necessary to take some action
regarding them, as their use is not In
any manner considered by the pending
contract.
The committee reported in favor OF
adopting the scale for machine mining
now prevailing in Illinois, where condi-
lions exist similar to those that prevail
in this district, but as no one knew just
what that scale was, the matter was left
in the hands of the district board to as
certain and promulgate.
Constitutional Amendments.
The matter of constitutional amend
ments was then taken up, and the one
recommended by the secretary-treasurer
in his report was adopted.
Another requiring all candidates stand
ing for office to report their consent to
the secretary before they could be voted
for was adopted.
Another, but one that provoked the
livlest contest, consuming over three
hours time, was to make the election
of the president of the district by popu-
lar vote and not by delegates to the con-
finally defeated by a vote OF 60 to 1913.
| Another amendment was defeated pro-
| posing to increase the fee for joining the
union from IS to $40 by a vote of %
! to 60.
A resolution of thanks to people Of Bes-
semer for their hospitality and kindness
| was unanimously adopted.
| A committee on legislation was elected,
consisting of William Kirkpatrick OF
Pratt City, L. B. Evans of West Pratt,
George w. Young of B1octon, G. T. Jones
| (colored) of Aldrich and A. r. Carew (col-
ored of Pratt City.
Matter of Vacancies.
The matter of filling the vacancy If
one should arise in the office of president
came up for discussion. Ordinarily the
| vice president succeeds to the office in
all sorts of organizations, but with the
| mine workers the vice president is a col
ored man, and there is prevailing among
the white miners a strong prejudice
against having colored man as their
chief official. Hence 1t was arranged that
in case Of vacancy in the office of presi-
dent the district board should elect his
successor. ~
The question of the next place of meet
ing of the convention came up, and a
letter was read from Mayor Lkennen of
Birmingham, inviting them to meet In
that city, apologizing for their past
treatment and assuring them that IL they
would only meet there next time they
should have nothing to complain Of
National Board Member Farley and
President Flynn strongly urged meeting
in Birmingham, and the vote was taken,
with the following result: Ensley 8, Wy
lam l, Birmingham 60, Bessemer 81.
! Adjournment sine die took place at
4:30 o'clock.
! Last night an oyster supper was ten
dered to both the white and colored dele
| gates, the former at Martins restaurant,
| the latter at the city hall.
| Tonight but few of the delegates remain
| In town.