Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1902-10-21
Miners Expects to Adopt Presi-
dent Roosevelt's Plan to
Settle Strike.
MITCHELL EARNESTLY URGES IT
Mould Have Been Adopted, Yester
day, but Engineers, Firemen and
Pumpmen Were Allowed to Give
Expression to Their Feelings.

Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct. 21.-The
anxiously awaited convention of the
145,000 striking miners met yester-
day., but did not reach vote on the
proposed plan of settlement It is
expected to do so today.
There were 662 delegates present
in the Nesbitt theater, where the con.
vention was held, and they were en-
powered by their local unions to cast
S67 votes for or against President
Roosevelt's proposed plan Of arbitra'
tion. The great majority Of the dele
gates were uninstructed, the few who
were being engineers, firemen and
pumpmen, who fear that the 5000
strikers of those classes may not get
back their old places, now held by
non-union men. The question of the
engineers, firemen and pumpmen
proved the only stumbling block in
the way of almost immediate adop-
ton of the presidents plan, which
carries with it declaring the strike
off and a general resumption Of work
through the 175-mile strip Of tie hard
coal region.
Likely to Be Adopted Today.
At one time yesterday it seemed
certain that the convention was about
to adopt the recommendation Of Pres
ident Mitchell to end the strike, but
the steam mems plea was too earnest,
and the final vote went over until to-
day, when it is next to certain the
vote to declare the strike off will
show big majority for it. The lead
ers of the strikers, except Mr.. Mitch
ell, were hardly heard at all in the
convention yesterday, the anxious en-
gineers being allowed to give full ex-
preston to their feelings. But today,
it is predicted, the leaders will be
heard, and one Of them, a high dis
trict officer, said yesterday that there
would not be more than Is votes re-
corded against the plan which the
president of the United States has
proposed to them and all the highest
officials of the mine workers in this
region earnestly have recommended.
There were two sessions, forenoon
and afternoon. yesterday, and the net
result as regards the progress Of the
convention towards its great object
was a permanent organization, with
Mr.. Mitchell in the chair, his speech
laying the presidents plan before the
delegates, his eloquent impromptu
speech advocating its adoption, and
the appointment Of a committee on
resolutions. This committee, as Mr..
Mitchell said to the delegates, would
prepare formal statement to the
public, telling fully and carefully why
the convention decided to continue
the strike, if it should so decide, and
why the strike was declared off, If
that was the outcome Of their delib-
erations.
The question before the convention
when it adjourned for the day was in
the adoption of the resolution EN-.
bodied in President Mitchell's open
ing speech to call off the strike and
leave all questions to the presidents
commission.
Admitted Newspaper Men.
The surprise of the convention yes
terday was the decision to admit
newspaper men to all the sessions.
open or executive, when even union
miners eagerly waiting by the hun
dreds out in the street could not get
into the theater. Twice the newspa-
per men won victory by big major
tiles. First, when a petition from
them asking to be allowed to remain,
a motion to grant the request was
carried; and later, when a motion
was made to reconsider the first vote
to admit. The pleas which won were
that the reporters represented the
people, that public opinion had helped
the strikers AMI that the best way
to get an accurate report Of this con-
Tenion Of immediate and vast ma
tional importance was to let the press
representatives stay there on the
spot. Even the suggestion Of press
committee Of delegates to give the
news to the correspondents was
turned down by the convention.
TuE STRIKE GnMMISCInN