Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-03-20
MINERSN0V IN SESSION
Question Of Declaring Big Strike Will
Be Decided at Shamokin.
DELEGATES VERY RETICENT.
District No. 1, Where Much Dissntis-
faction IL Said to Exist, Ii
In Practical Control Of
the situation.

| SudWOKln, IA, Mdrcn ia Speclal
train from the upper anthracite coal
region brought here majority of the
delegates to the convention of the
| United Mine Workers of districts 1, Z
and 8, which began at 2 p. m.
| President John Mitchell of the Unit.
ed Mine Workers arrived here from AL
toona at II o'clock. Secretary Wilson
was not with him, having gone to West
| virginia to preside over convention
OF bituminOus coal miners. Mr.. Mitch.
ell said he was not in touch with the
situation in the anthracite region and
! could make no official statement until
| he had conferred with the district Of.
ficers.
Concerning the refusal of the opera
tors to meet the miners Mr.. Mitchell
said the letters he had received would
be presented to the convention, but he
could not say whether they would be
made public. "The letters" said Mr.
Mitchell,~ contained the usual reasons
given by operators when they object
to meeting labor organizations"
Soon after his arrival Mr.. Mitchell
held a consultation with the district
officers.
Ralph NJ. Easley of New York, sec
rotary of the Civic federation arrived
here during the day. He said his visit
had no connection with the miners
convention. His object. he said, was
to meet President Mitchell, who is a
member of the Cancellation committee
OF the Civic federation. There are
some matters before the committee,
Mr.. Easley said. that required atten.
ton, and he desired to see Mr. Mitchell
before the letter left for the west.
Delegates Keep Plans Secret.
1t is next to impossible to obtain
clear idea Of the intentions Of the dele
gates. District No. /, comprising the
Lackawanna and Wyoming regions,
where there is said to be much dissatis
faction, practically controls the situa-
ton, and should the delegates from
that region declare for strike the re-
naming districts would be compelled
to accept the inevitable.
According to Secretary Hartein of
district No. 8, the Shamokin district,
there are 144,000 mine workers in the
anthracite region. and SO per cent of
these are members of the United Mine
Workers of America. District No. 1,
comprising LackaNanna, upper LII
zerne and Wyoming counties, contains
1T6 local branches, with a representa-
ton of about $50 delegates in the con.
yention. There are fifty-four locals in
district No. I, which includes lower Lu.
zerne and portions of Schuylkill and
Carbon counties. This district sends
100 delegates District No. g. com.
prising lower Schuylkill, Dauphin and
Columbia counties, is entitled to some
thing over 200 delegates.
Although official statements concern
ing the probable action of the conven
ton are difficult to obtain, it is init
mated by some of the officials that rec
ognftiOn of the union will not be the
chief issue. There are many grievances
to be considered of more Importance, il
is said, than recognition of the union
as national body. The most impor.
tant business will be transacted behind
closed doors and the proceedings an
nounced through the medium Of a press
committee.
When the convention was called to
order President Mitchell was unani-
mously selected as permanent chair
man. President Mitchell made briet
address, in which he said he hoped the
miners would be able to secure redress
for their wrongs without recourse tc
the methods of 1900.