Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-03-24
TOLL WARS FOR GAIN
American Labor in Many Oentes Insists
on Higher Wages,
STRIKES THE THREAT IN VARIED TRADES
Lowell Hints of Biggest Textile Tieup
in History.
UNIoNS IN OTHER TOWNS IN SYMPATHY
Massachusetts, Mill Agents Refuse to Grant
Advance,
likes THE THREAT IN VARIED TRADES
INIoIS IN OTHER TOWNS IN SYMPATHY
MINERS STILL FIGURE ON THEIR PROBLEM
Special Committee COnsIderInE GrIev-
nnces Seeks 10 Avoid Declaration
of Strike, but Desperate Meas
ures May he Taken,

LOWELL. Mass. March 2s.-Lowell is
| threatened with one Of the greatest strikes
IN It's history as result of the communi-
cation sent to the textile union by the mill
agents in reply to the official demand OF
that body for advance in wages for the
textile operatives OF the city.
The communication was read at the meet
! ing ot the textile council this afternoon and
was positive unconditional refusal Of the
demands IL was not joint note but each
sgent answered for himself. The language.
however was identical 1t is believed that
| tne note was framed at a meeting Of the
mill officials in Boston Thursday night
Ihe Increase demanded was to 20 into
eneot tomorrow, but because of the delay
In the reply the various unions represented
IN the central body have not had an op-
portunity to express their opinion on the
new aspect of the situation. so It has been
decided to postpone final action until
meeting Wednesday evening
To Vote ON Strike Question.
In the meantime special meetings Of the
! unions Will be held and a vote be taken
! on the question of strike. An informal
vote was taken today and II is understood
that three-fourths OF the number present
favored strike, the others reserving their
decision until Wednesday night.
At meeting of the Trades and Labor
| council today the resolution of the textile
council was approved
An estimate Of the operatives who would
be directly affected by a general strike
places the number at 1920.
| NEW BEDFORD. Mass, March 2s.-At
an executive meeting of the National Loom
| iyng stn4ly
transacted was to vote to authorize the
| Loom Fixers' union Of Lowell to use its
own discretion in the matter of striking.
LEWISTON, Me-, March 2S.-At a meet
ing Of the Mule Spinners' union II was
voted to demand an advance in wages Of 10
! per cent, to go into effect March 81, thus
| giving the millowners a week in which to
consider the proposition. Unless the de-
mand Is granted general strike may fol-
low.
work on Miners Grievances.
SHAMoKIN, Pa, March 2S.-Fron an Of
hcial source 1t was learned today that an
effort will be made tomorrow to adjourn the
joint convention of Districts Number 1. 7
and 3, United Mine Workers of Amer4cS.
without committing the delegates to n
strike declaration.
At meeting which began at II o'clock
I last night and continued until this morning
the special committee appointed Saturday
! formulated a resolution whicl, th, leaders
! hope Will satisfy both radical and conserva-
tive delegates. The committee which con-
sists of President Mitchell, District PresI-
dents Nichols, Fahy and Duffy, and thu
three district vice-presidents, held another
session tonight
The report of the committee will take the
nf H..
of which, it is authoritatively stated, will
recommend the appointment OF a committee
to present to the operators the demands OF
| the convention.
Incorporated in the report are resolutions
adopted during the week in addition to
those made public by President Mitchell
All OF these resolutions. It Is said, contain
a strike declaration effective April l. but
they were made subject to the resolution OF
the special committee report, which, so
far as could be learned does not declare
for a strike.
Demands Embodied In Resolutions.
All OF the demands made in the scale
committee report are also embodied In the
! resolution, but the statement is made that
only two Of these. are eight-hour working
day. and the weighing of coal wherever
practicable, will be insisted upon II the
convention adopts the resolution.
Should the report prove satisfactory, tho
convention is expected to select a committee
composed Of others than officers Of the
union. In the event of the operators re :
fusing to recognize the committee, It is
within the province of the district presi-
dents to declare a strike after receiving
the sanction Of the national executive board.
When asked tonight II the above state
ments were correct, President Mitchell did
not deny them, but declined to discuss the
subject.
The entire matter now rests with the DEL
egates and It is possible the convention may
not approve the resolutions.
window Glass Men Extend Fire.
PITTsBURG, March 23.-The counting Of
votes for officers and on the resolution ex-
tending the FIRE this year has been com
pleted by window glass workers Of Local
assembly No. 300. knights of Labor, the
proposition to extend the fire to June Is was
carried by an overwhelming majority. the
vote for it being 2,773 and against It 1853.
The Blair resolution providing for an in
crease in the number OF apprentices was
defeated by 400 majority.
]. L. Denny was reelected president and
John Phillips, ir., secretary. On the ex-
ecutive board were chosen Gatherers Louis
Z. Perthener and Charles Altman. The
wage committee of the nattenera is Joseph
SchnernitzaueT and d. A Fitzgerald. There
was no election Of wage committees for the
gatherers. blowers or cutters.
Striking MOlders Are Mauled.
. COLUMBUS, March 23.-The troubles
growing out OF the molders strike at tho
Rarig Engineering company's plaAt cul-
minated in a conflict today between the
strikers and the men imported to take their
places. Raymond Lackey was badly beaten
in a fight this afternoon, In which over q
score Of men participated, and Thomas
Huddleson was badly cut and bruised in a
fight tonight Both are strikers Three
strikers and one non-union man were ar
rested. The strikers we're recently en-
Joined from picketing the plant or inter
fering with the non-unlOn men.
Boston Brewery Workers WarIike.
BOSTON, March 2S.-The most important