The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-25

The joint convention between the Ala bama Coal Operators Association and the United Mine N orkers of America Ala bama District No. 20. convened yesterday morning at 10 o'clock. The meeting was held in Fox's Hall. corner of Fourth av- enue and Nir,eteentt street. About thirty operators and probably 175 or 200 dele gates of the United Mine Workers were present.
 Mfr. J. W. McQueen, of the Sloss- Shef- field Steel and Iron Company acted as cheirman of the coal operators.
 The convention was called to order by the temporary chairman. Mir Ed. Flynn, who said; T would like to state on be- half of the miners that we are prepared to go into joint conference with the op- orators to arrange q scale for the cur rent year"
 'Yes. sir; the operators are ready to confer" replied Mir. Mcqueen.
 The election of officers was then taken up which resulted in the election of Pres ident Ed. Flynn, chairman; Mir, J. H. Ad- ans of the Republic Iron and Steel Com rary, secretary, ard Mfr. J. l.. Clemo of the Mine Workers as assistant secretary
 .he committee on order of business was announced for the ro;ncrs, mr. Adam Pow and MT. John c. Smith; for the op- erators, Colonel T. G. Bush and Colonel T. II. Aidrich.
 MT. w. R. Fairiey then addressed the chair on the importance of having an ex- pert stcnographer report the proceedings of the convention, stating; MT Chair man, I desire to call the attention or the cperat DTS more particularly than I do the miners to the necessity of having sten- cgrapher being in this convention. Every convention of t,iis character fin the Unit cd States hes employed a stcnographer'-
 Mir. McQueen-'Mr. Carpenter Is out after ono now"
 The chairman announced that the next thing would be the reading of the scale. MT. William Kirkpatrick of the miners moved that the operators read their scale, which was immediately seconded by sev- eral of the miners
 Colonel Aldrich then addressed the chair as follows: MT. Chairman. I believe for the first time this request was made on the operators last year. l wish to say that the operators are fully prepared to meet you on that question if desirable, but 1t is generally understood that you gentlemen are selling your labor and we are buying It. If you want to dispose Of 6 piece of land. the seller fixes the rate. On that account, therefore, I think 1t Is emanentiy proper that you let us know at what price you propose to sell your labor. and I wish to move substitute to your motion, that the scale settled upon by your own committee. be read to this meeting"
 Colonel Aidrich further remarked: ''I always supposed th at the scale and agree ment under which we were to work was the main and principal question. If 1t isn't. I don't know what 1t Is. Under the rules adopted by this body, that thing cannot be carried by unanimous vote and 1t can only be voted on by the four rep resentatives of your body and the four representatives of our body forming the joint committee, and think. therefore, that this motion is out of order. We have adopted those rules. It Is the main and principal question. and I think. there fore, this committee should be appointed and they should be appointed for this body"
 Matter Of Indifference.
 MT. W. R. Farley: MT. Chairman, I want to say that 1t is a matter of indif-