The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-07-18
GENERAL STRIKE
ORDER OPPOSED
Mitchell Makes Strong Plea
Against General Suspension.
NEED AID OF OTHER MINERS
SAYS SYMPATHETIC STRIKES
HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL.


INDIANAPOLIS. IND. July 17.-If
i the voice and influence of President
Mitchell of the United Mine Work
ers shall prevail with the members of
MS organization there viii be no gem
sIai Strike. The chances of such a
s'ep being taken are now very remote.
IN MS speech in the convention this
AFTERNOON. Mr.. Mitchell advised strong
~ against strike and urged that the
Di'uminous miners continue to work.
ana tnat system of assessment upon
the members of the order. which he
yuuined. be carried into effect as the
Dest means of affording aid and sup
port 10 the striking anthracite men in
His recommendations, if adopted bv
tne convention this afternoon. would
nave settled the entire question for
"hnch the convention was called and
an immediate adjournment would have
followed.
a motion 20 adopt the suggestions of
PRESIDENT Mitchell provoked a long de-
pate in which the general sentiment
was against the ordering of the strike.
nnaliy made request that they be
allowed to hold a caucus to deter
mine upon an expression of opinion as
70 what they thought the convention
should do and asked an adjournment
OF the convention for this purpose.
Ineir request was granted, and an ad-
Journment taken. The men who were
In favor OF a strike were in a decid-
ed minority.
At the meeting today President John
!. Mitchell strongly opposed the or
dering of a sympathetic strike and ad-
vocated in its place the following
policy:
First-That the treasurer of the or
der be directed to appropriate $50 coo
Tor the relief of the anthracite miners.
Second-That the unions appropriate
for the same purpose as large sum
as they can afford.
Third-That an assessment of 81 per
week be levied on all members Of
unions.
Fourth--That all officers of the ma
uonal districts drawing a salary of $50
month or over contribute rs per cent
of their salaries.
Fifth-That an appeal be made to all
trade unions and citizens generally to
aid the cause of the miners.
Sixth-That an address to the Amer
lean people be Issued. appealing to the
American people to bring such pres
sure to bear as will compel the opera
tors to submit to arbitration.
At the conclusion of the PRESIDENT
address a motion was made by w. D.
Ryan of Illinois that the suggestions
of Mr.. Mitchell be adopted.
long and animated discussion fol-
lowed.
When the convention met in the
Afternoon motion was made and
carried, that the convention go at once
into executive session. John P. Reese
of Iowa moved a reconsideration of thu
vote by which this action was taken.
He declared secret sessions were unde-
sirabie. The speech of Mr.. Reese in
SUPPORT OF his motion carried the day.
The vote was recOnsidered. and it was
directed that The meetings of the con-
vention would be open to the public.
Mitchelfs Address.
Mr.. Mitchell then made his address.
In part, as follows:
Gentlemen, in opening this conven-
ton. / deem ii my duty 10 make a few
preliminary remarks. and to suggest in
a series Of resolutions the policy which
would, in my Judgment. best serve the
interests of the striking anthracite
mine workers and preserve unimpaired
the integrity of our entire organization.
In determining the grave and import
ant question which now confronts you
namely. the advisability of the in
auguration of q national suspension of
coal mining In defense of our strug-
Cling fellow workers in the anthracite
fields of PennsylTania-it Is imperative
that you should weigh with the great
est possible care the momentous prob
lem with which you have to deal. Nei-
Their passion nor prejudice should in
fiuence your action in any particular.
4 have been so clesly connected
with the struggles of the anthracite
mine workers that il grieves me more
than language can express 10 say that
my views are not in accord with the
views expressed by some in favor of a
national suspension of coal mining. l
have. during all my life in the labor
movement, declared that contracts mu-
tualIy made should, during their life,
be kept tnViolate. and while at times
Il may appear TO the superficial observ-
er or TO those Immediately concerned
that advantage could be gained by set
ting agreements aside. such advantage.
il gained. would. in the very nature of
things be temporary. and would uiti-
mately result in disaster because a dis
regard OF contracts strikes at the very
vitais of organized labor
THE effect Of such action would be
to destroy confidence, to array in open
hostility to our cause all forces of So
ciety. and TO crystaliize public senti-
nent in opposition to our movement
sympathetic strikes have many ad-
herents, and the efficacy OF such meth
DDS appeal strongly to those who. being
thoroughly involved in trouble, do not
always realize the effect Of their action
upon the public mind: but the labor
movement teaches lessons which should
not be forgotten today. As far as my
knowledge goes. | do not know of one
solitary sympathetic strike OF any
magnitude which has been successful.
on the contrary. the most conspicuous
among the sympathetic labor struggles
have resulted in ignominious and
crushing defeat. not only for the
branch of industry originally involved,
but also for the divisions participating
through sympathy. In my Judgment.
The limited Mine Workers should not
raneat the mistakes which, ike mile
stones. mark the path trod by the toll
fn1 masses in their never-ceasing
struggle for better and higher civiliza-
ton.
Confident Of Victory.
II am firm in my conviction that the
strike in the anthracite fields can and
wifi he won without repudiating our
solemn contracts with the bituminOus
GENERATORS. provided the bituminous
miners win rise TO the occasion and
do their full duty by their struggling
fellow workers: and with this in mind.
7 desire 10 submit for your considera-
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