Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1902-07-19
MINERS CONSERVATIVE.
Executive Committee Nay Determine
the Question Of a Strike,
REPRESENTATIVE MEN PRESENT.


hot to stik"'' This is the vital qgos.
ton to settle which delegates az, pour.
ing into indianapolis from almost ey
cry coal mining district Of the couu.
try la readiness for the great cOuv,u.
tiun which assemblies tomorrow In rc.
sponsc 10 IN, recent call of President
Mitchell OF tho United Mine Workers
Of America n the convention reaches
an affirmative decision IL will mean, so
say tho officials of the miners organi.
2atiuu that 500 600 men will lay down
their picks not to resume work until
their brethren iu the anthracite fields
of Pennsylvania have obtained their
demands s decision not TO strike will
mean at the very least ,..c breaking
OF tuc backbone Of the miners struggle
In Pennsylvania and a serious blow to
organized labor in general
In the settlement Of this LADY and
the tiger question ,lcrc Is a cunsnrNa
tive clement among the union miners
that Us strongly pronounced h. favor
OF the convention taking a compromise
course 1t would Doe better. say the
leaders of this element. for the CONVEX.
ton not To- declare a strike outright
but 10 delegate 90 the executive board
81 20 cal ont the men on general strike
al their discretion This. IL is pointed
out. would give the advantage Of de
lay before the final card is played
while at the same time not dctracting
from the moral support given 10y the
unions throughout the country TO the
Pennsylvania strikers. II Is fur,Aer
argued in support OF this course that
IL would help greatly the financial end
of the struggles as IL would enable the
soft coal miners stil at work to devote
a large part of Il ir earnings TO the
anthracite strikers and enable the lat.
ter TO continue their strike indefinitely
or until a successful issue was reach
ed. Although President Mitchell has
so far rofrainod from expressing an
opinion on the subject of the conven-
ton and the proper course for it to
pursue It rs said by those intimately
associated with him that he would pre-
fer TO have the convention delegate
to the executive board the power to
call the strike rather than have the
issue brought to a climax at once
Meanwhile the delegates are pour.
ing into Indianapolis from all direc-
tions and about the headquarters of
the United Mine Workers they are
the situation, the latest news from the
Pennsylvania field and the probable
outcome of the struggle. For the most
part they are extremely reticent so far
as public utterances are concerned and
It is a difficult matter to ascertain how
they stand with regard TO the main
question. Enough can be CLEANED. how
ever to warrant the forecast that the
convention will not declare a general
strike by any overwhelming majority
anu II "a strike is called at all IL will
be IN the face of considerable opposi-
ton. Illinois, Indiana. Ohio and Iowa
viii hold the majority of the delegates.
In three of these state at least salts
factory Condiu ms prevail at present.
The men are working under yearly
agreement and ar" enjoying conces.
slons which II has taken years for
them To gain Such contracts, 1t may
readily be believed are not to be light.
ly broken. Michigan. Kansas Ken
tucyy, Missouri. Tennessee and one or
two other states will be represented in
the convention 1t is not known exact.
ly how their delegates stand on the
strike question. but IL Is unlikely that
their numerical strength will be sufiic-
lent TO influence the decision to any
great extent The states OF Maryland.
Colorado. Washington Montana, In
dian Territory Arkansas New Mexico
and Texas. and one-half the soft coal
'istrct of Pennsylvania, are not or
lniZed bu; there are small unions
..mong them and some have sent dele
gates to the convention.
When the convention assemblies in
Tominson hall AT 9 o'clock tomorrow
morning and the roll is called by Sec
rotary Wilson it will be answered by
as fine body Of men as ever attended
a labor gathering Fifteen hundred In
number they represent the brains and
sincW of the miners unions. While
undoubtedly there are agitators among
them. they appear for the most part 10
Doe "a conservative lot Of men. What
ever decision is reached II Will be after
Intelligent discussion Of the question
from every view point
Opinions oppressed by those on the
ground already indicate a general hope
that what Yer action Is taken may be
by good solid majority so as to leave
no doubt Of the feeling OF the miners
throughout the country. II is feared
tina, If strike were declared by a
small majority it would create such
friction that a split iu tao union might
puaup, and IL Is said that this Is the
fear that President Mitchell mas had
ever since the anthracite miners said
they wanted a national strike,
on the other hand, the advocates OF
"A general strike are determined q
leave no stone unturnod In an effort t.
bring the convention 20 an affirmative
deCi ION and boy large majority. They
argue that a defeat Zen Pennsylvania
would be a crushing blow TO unionism
and that in order 10 retain the present
strength of the mine workers the sof
coal men as "a matter Of self preserva
tion. must join In the strike and make
the struggle of the Pennsylvania min
Crs their own.
Dog Days.
The dog days" began on Friday
the nth instant This season which
is supposed to last six weeks. Is regard
Il -. t..rgg.,,g n uphsalt n