Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-21
Move to Accept Commission.

deafening.
Move to Accept commission.
The moment he finished a wilkesbarre
delegate was on his feet to move that the
recommendations be adopted.
II this. had been acted upon at once the
strike would have been of and the con-
vention's work done, but those In opposition
would not have 1t that way. They wanted
to debate the matter. and kept the talk
going until the adjournment after 5 O'Clock.
A Panther Greek engineer was the first to
take the floor In opposition to accepting
the plan until he had some assurance that
they would be reinstated in their old posi-
lions.
The companies have declared, he said,
they will not dismiss the men now en-
ployed and place strikers in their places.
a number of other delegates spoke along
the same lines and then still more con
fusion resulted over the presence OF persons
who were not delegates.
One delegate took a strong position:
We do not know whether Baer, Olyphant
or Markell is in the hall ready to Vote he
said.
After some time President Mitchell again
Strengthened matters out by requesting all
excepting newspaper men and delegates to
leave the hall. About half of those present
retired.
Then the debate was resumed. but before
1t had proceeded many minutes, a delegate
demanded that the credentials of all those
In the building be examined.
This was done, and then a motion was
made to reconsider the vote by which the
newspaper men were permitted to remain.
The motion was defeated.
President Mitchell then requested the cor
respondents not to mention the name of
any delegate In his report on the ground
that 1t might injure him in obtaining work.
This ended the debate on the correspond
ents. ,.s.. . 4.. ,.. .....
s The, question again reverted to that Of
reinstatement Of men. A dozen speeches
on both sides were made. one delegate areu :
Ing that q mistake had been made in CALI
ing out the engineers, hremen and pump
men. but as good union men they had
obeyed, and now the union should stand
by them.
Operators Position Defined.
The only delegate in the convention who
is also a member Of one of the railway
unions, said the positions, for miners and
min laborers were numerous enough 10
give nearly all the men employment, but
those for the engineers, hremen and pump
runners were not SO numerous.
At this point a delegate arose and asked
Mr.. Mitchell to express his views on the
subject.
He Immediately responded and delivered
one OF the most important addresses he has
been called onto make during the. past FIVE
months. He spoke slowly and clearly and
every word was listened to with great in
faract hacauaa ~ me- IoolroA ,no, H.. A.
delegates as the real speech Of the hay. He
spoke as follows:
l desire to, inform you that the president
learn the attitude of the companies toward
the men who are now on strike. As you
know, the companies refuse direct negotia-
tons with US, but through Intermediates
we have received assurance that they are
going to meet the issues fairly, that they
are not disposed to blacklist the men, tina
they do not propose to be vindictive, that
as far as possible men are to be returned
1t may lake some time before that can be
brought about and 1t may. be that some few
positions at all. When you vote on this
proposition you must do IL with as full a
knowledge of the situation as l can give
Now, let me emphasize one point: While
the poorest boy that worked in. a breaker
Is as dear TO us as the man who ran the
best engine; while we shall try with all the
struck back TO his old job. we will make
special efforts for none and snow special
favors to none. We want the engineers,
iremen, pumpmen, inspectors and bosses to
go back, but we do not want them to go
back one bit more than the little breaker
boys. ..
There was no single class OF workmen
who went out on a sympathetic strike.
Every man who struck. struck for wages;
he struck for exactly the same thing the
miners and the mine laborers struck for.
VIII Protect All victims.
As far as 1t is within the power of the
union we shall AFFORD protection to every
man, union or nonunion, who went out on
strike with aus. But, gentlemen, II may be
true that some will be sacrificed, and much
as we shall regret that l desire TO say that
no battle was ever fought. no victory was
ever won, that did not carry with IL some
victims lives ha Va hppu Inst IN Pafn the