Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-17
TO WIN STRIKE
Miners Will Tie Up Every
Mine in Country.
tte~
A Move Which Will Work Great Loss
and Hardship.
Propose to Have Both Anthracite and
Bituminous Men Out.

HaZeltOn, Pa, May III ne AMIN IL
cite mine workers in convention, today,
in order to win their strike, unanimous
ly decided upon Il plan that II carried
into successful operation VIII pracu-
cally tie up the industries OF the coun-
try paralyze business and inconVen-
fence the people throughout the United
States.
1t is their desire that a special ma :
tional convention of the United Mine
Workers of America be called as soon
as practicable for the purpose of en-
deavoring to have all the bituminouS
mine workers. both organized and I'M
organized, involved in the anthracite
miners struggle.
This announcement was officially made.
1t noon today, by President Mitchell in
4 statement giving the result of the de-
liberations of delegates in convention
This statement is as follows:
AT this mornings sessions the cOnVen-
lion petitioned the national officers to is
sue "A call for Il national convention of an
miners employed in the United States for
the purpose OF considering the Situa ton
in the anthracite field. If the desire o.
the anthracite miners is carried into ef-
feet IA national suspension Of coal mining
will be inaugurated. All questions Of de
tail as to the direction Of the strike in
the anthracite field was referred to the
district ana national offices.
Definite plans will be outlined within
the next few days. For the present the
engineers. Gremen and pump runners
will continue at work. All mine workers
were advised to remain at their homes,
abstain from frequeuting saloons and un
der all circumstances to serve the law.
If a special national convention is cali
I'd and the miners succeed in their object.
it would directly affect 10000 men who
are employed in and about the coal mines
Of the country. Coal would soon become
scarce and this would ultimately result
in the tying up of railroads and all sorts
Of industries that use large quantities Of
the fuel.
1t is doubted by some interested persons
here who are closely watching develop
ments that such Il stupendous movement
could be brought about for the reason
that the business interests of the country
would not stand idly by and permit such
a plan to be put into effect.
The striking miners are enthusiastic
over the conventions action. An abso
lutely trustworthy source is authority
for The statement that the special con
vention will be called. probably at Indian
lpolis. in the course of several weeks.
National SecretaryTreaSurer w. T..
Wilson Of indianapolis. said, today. that
within the next two or three weeks. re-
CARELESS of the special convention. 800
men in Virginia and West Virginia ana
from u 900 to 2o.9G0 in the soft coal re-
sion Of central Pennsylvania will be on
strike. They will he called out. he said.
for the purpose Of forcing the mine own
ars to give them higher wages and Incl
dentally To help the anthracite workers.
These men. he went on to say. are
partly organized ana he felt confident
that the non-union men would respond
to the strike called readily as lid tho
anthracite miners ia the fall of 1890. a
point mas been raised that the United
Mine Workers cannot call out the men
mployed by companies with whom the
miners have yearly contracts or wasc
agreements. but Secretary Wilson sail
that such is not the case.
The correspondent of The Associated
Press made an effort to learn what steps
If any had been taken in the direction OF
a symnathetic strike of other trades
Unions. It was learned that some Of the
labor leaders Of the country had informal
IN discussed such a movement some tim"
before the present strike was inaugural
cd. but that no definite plan presented
itself Such a strike. it was thought.
would probably not be inaugurated for
several months and only in the event that
the union was in danger of going t.
pieces.
The matter of calling out the engineers.
firemen and pump runners from the an
thractc mines TO allow the workings to
become flooded and damaged. was let
by the convention TO the national and
district officers.
The coal companies continue their prep
arations for a long struggle. Business
generally is stagnant and coal in this
sactipn IL hfcorniuo