The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-21

WILKESBARRE, Pa, Oct. 20.-The
anXiously awaited convention of the
$4,000 striking miners met today, but
did not reach a vote on the proposed
plan of settlement. 1t is expected to
do SO tomorrow.
There were 662 delegates present in
the Nesbitt theater, where the conven-
ton was held, and they were empower
ed by their local unions to cast S67
votes for or against President Roose-
velt's plan Of arbitration. The great
majority of the delegates were unin-
structed, the few who were being en-
g1neers, firemen and pumpmen who
fear that the five thousand strikers of
those classes may not get back their
old places now held by non union men.
This question of the engineers, fire.
men and pumpmen proved the only
stumbling block in the way Of almost
immediate adoption of the president S
plan, which carries with it declaring
the strike off and a general resumption
Of work through the 175-mile strip of
the hard coal mining region.
Came Near Speedy Action.
At one time today it seemed certain
that the convention was about to adopt
the accommodation Of President Mitch
ell to end the strike, but the steam
men's plea was too earnest and the
final vote went over until tomorrow,
when 1t is next to certain the vote to
declare the strike off will show a big
majority for 1t, The leaders Of the
strikers, except Mr.. Mitchell, were
hardly heard at all in the convention
today, the anxious engineers being al
lowed to give full expression to their
feelings. But tomorrow, 1t is predict
ed, the leaders will be heard, and one
Of them, high district officer, said to-
day there would not be more than f1f-
teen votes recorded against the plan
which the president Of the United
States has proposed to them and which
all the highest officers Of the mine
workers in this region have earnestly
recommended.
There were two sessions, forenoon
and afternoon, today, and the net re-
suit as regards the progress Of the
convention toward its great object was
permanent organization, with Mr..
Mitchell in the chair, and his speech
laying the presidents plan before the
delegates, his eloquent impromptu
speech advocating its adoption and the
appointment of a committee OH resolu-
tons.
Whichever Way the Cat Jumps.
This committee, as Mr.. Mitchell said
to the delegates, would prepare a for
NAL statement to the public telling
fully and carefully why the conven-
ton decided to continue the strike, If
1t should so decide; and why the strike
was declared off, if that was the out
come of their deliberations.
The question before the convention,
when it adjourned for the day, was on
the adoption of the resolution en-
bodied in President MitchelPs opening
speech to call off the strike and leave
all questions to the presidents COM
mission.
The surprise of the convention today
was the decision to admit newspaper
men to all the sessions, open or execu-
tive, when even union miners, eagerly
waiting by the hundreds out in the
street, could not get into the theater.
Twice the newspaper men Won vic
tory by big majorities. First, when a
petition from them asking to be al
lowed to remain, motion to grant
the request was carried; and later,
when motion was made to reconsider
the first vote to admit. The pleas
which won were that the reporters rep
resented the people, that public opin-
ion had helped the strikers, and that
the best way to get an accurate report
of this convention of immediate and
vast national import 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 turn
ed down by the convention.
Called to Order.
District President T. D. Nichols, of