The Elbert County tribune., 1902-10-23


coal corporations. ] am firm in my
conviction that the PROMPT acceptance
OF this proposal will secure to the an
thracite mine workers and those de-
pendent upon them IA greater measure
of justice than they could attain by
continuing the conflict. | believe the
prompt acceptance OF this proposition
will secure to the mine workers a
greater degree of justice than they
have enjoyed in the past.
THE people of our country await
with anxious expectancy the result OF
your action to-day. The eyes of the
nation are centered upon you. and
friends and foes alike demand the sub
mission of issues involved in this strike
to the tribunal nominated by the Pres
ident OF the United States. That there
are discordant elements In this conven-
tion. that there are dissatisfied ones at
home, ] am fully aware. but. gentle
men. with all the earnestness OF which
l am possessed l urge that you give
your approval to the. action of your ex-
ecutive officers who have recommended
acceptance of the proposition that the
strike be declared of and all men are
then to return to work in the positions
and working places occupied by them
prior to the Inauguration of the strike.
and that all questions at issue be sub
mitted for adjustment to the tribunal
selected by the President of the United
States"
1t was moved Immediately after Mr..
Mitchell ended his speech that the res
olutions in his speech TO declare on the
strike be adopted. This met with the
expected opposition of the engineers.
who said they wanted careful consid-
Grafton.
Mr.. Mitchell's statements favoring
acceptance of the arbitration plan did
not elicit great applause. but later his
words: Il urge acceptance, and that
the strike be declared on with the pro-
vision that all men return to their
former positions" drew out great ap-
plause.
A warm debate followed the first
note of objection to the immediate
adoption of the resolutions to declare
off the strike. In the course OF this
motion was made to adjourn because
persons not delegates. were present. A
hot debate occurred on this until Mr.
Mitchell said: "lf you want those not
delegates to get out. ask them to go.
aad not leave yourselves. If you want
to consider the prospect of getting all
your old positions back you can best
do 1t here. This proposition will not
be crammed down your throats. You
are the men who voted to go on this
strike. and your votes will end it If it
is ended"
A motion to adjourn was killed by
an almost unanimous vote. A motion
was then carried to exclude from the
hall all but the newspaper men.
The question again reverted to that
of reinstatement of the men. A dozen
speeches were made for and against the
question of some specific action for as
surance that the men would get back
their places II they returned to work.
1t was argued by one delegate that the
calling out of the engineers, firemen
and pumpmen was a mistake. but as
good union men they obeyed. He
wanted the union to stand by those
men now. and not turn its back on
them.
A delegate arose and asked Presi-
dent Mitchell to express his views on
the subject He Immediately respond
ed, and made one of the most Import
ant addresses he has been called on
to make during the past five months.
He spoke slowly and clearly, and every
word was listened TO with great inter-
est, because 1t was looked upon by the
delegates as the real speech Of the
day. He closed by saying;
Il have no assurance that IL you re-
turn to work Wednesday all of you
will be given back your old places. l
do believe, however. that the coal op-
orators will gradually displace the
men who were brought here from the
cities and from the farms to take your
places will return to the cities and
farms when you go back. have no
doubt at all that before two or three
weeks have rolled by there will be no
question about the reinstatement of
the men.
However, remember this, that when
your votes are cast | want you to cast
them with the full knowledge that
some of you may not get your old
places back. dare say the companies
are as anxious to have competent en-
gineers, firemen, pumpmen and inspec-
tors as you are to fill those places, and
you know that the men brought here
to take your places are not competent"
His remarks were greeted with ap-
plause. Another delegate made a
speech against ending the strike with
out definite assurance of reinstate-
ment. and Mr.. Mitchell was again called
upon for an explanation of the status
of the arbitration plan as It now
stands. This he gave in detail in
third speech.
Then the delegates again took up the
debate. Many of the delegates spoke
with great earnestness. Three of the
speakers were willing to return to
work and give the American people
some coal.
Another was willing to leave the
whole matter in the hands of President
Roosevelts commission. and another
said:
''If cannot get my job, can look
for another one. Therefore let us go
to work and give the American people
some coal.'
The sentiment of the last speaker
was loudly applauded. After further
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