The evening Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1902-1902, 1902-07-19
MITCHELL CONTROLS
Plan Referred to Special Com
mittee Which He Heads.
AID FOR MEN, BUT no STRIKE.
Assessment ON Members of Miners
Union to Aid Anthracite Strikers
May Exceed Zen Per Cent-Half
q Million Weekly Needed.

May Exceed Zen Per Cent-Half
Million Weekly Needed.
INDIANAPOLIS, July 19-At the
conclusion of secret session which
lasted the entire afternoon the recon-
mendutions Of President Mitchell for
the management Of the anthra cite
strike were referred to n special COM
mittee. which is to report back to the
convention. This committee consists Of
President Mitcliell. Vice President
Lewis, Secretary Wilson and the presi-
dents Of each district which is taking
part in the convention. There is little
doubt that the committee will urge the
adoption Of the recommendations and
fix the rate of assessment at 10 per
cent Or higher
At the opening of the executive ses-
sion Vice President Lewis took the
floor and delivered an energetic speech
on the amendment offered by Delegate
Haskins in the morning to the effect
that the fund to be raised for the aid
of the anthracite miners be extended
to all of the striking miners where,
their strike has been sanctioned by the
general organization. He declared that
he thought all the miners should be
taken care of in like manner.
President Mitchell then took the floor
to speak for the adoption of the recon-
mcndations made in his speech Of
Thursday. He told the convention that
the strikes in West Virginia and else.
where were being protected by the
general organization under the regular
assessments Of the union, but that the
assessment which was under discus.
sion was necessary for the support of
the anthracite strike alone and should
not be diverted from its purpose.
1T is possible that other strikes may
COME he snil, land then under the
precedent which a general distribution
Of the fund to lie raised would create
these later strikes could claim their
share in the fund.- and it would be so
depleted as to fail entirely of its pur-
pose"
He declared that the cost Of main-
tanning strikes varied, according to
places and conditions.
in the anthracite regions" he said,
"the country is thicbly settled. There
are mills and factories, and it is posi-
bic for the men on strike to secure EN-
ploymcnt. They are then no burden OH
the general organization, but are even
able to help it. In West Virginia. for
Instance, there are but two vocations
for the miner, mining or farming. The
latter is out of the question for the
greater part of the men, and they then
have no chance for employment when
OH strike. 1t costs much more per
capita to keep up strike in West Nir-
ginia than in the anthracite regions.
The anthracite strike is, in fact, the
cheapest strike that we can have 1t
is easier to maintain than any other,
and we should not allow it to 60 down
to defeat by diverting the funds neces.
sary for it,
At the conclusion of the session Sec
rotary Wilson said:
ut will cost 100000 weekly to sup
port all the men now on strike in the
various districts. An assessment of 81
per week will bring in $25O,000, and
an assessment of 81 per week upon
each member of the union will result
in about the same sum. This will
leave us $2J0,O00 to raise each week
from outside sources, and from the