Evening journal., 1902-01-24
MIR. NITCHBLL
IN HXONbRATBD
Miners CeDSuFe WOmaR Who
Preferred Charges
Thanked Convention for Confidence
and Trust and Said Wrong Had
Not Been Repaired

Indianapolis, Ind, Jan. 24.--The
committee appointed to investigate the
charges made against President
Mitchell and Secretary Wilson. of the
United Mine Workers, by Miss Millie
Meredith reported to the convention
yesterday and completely exonerated
the officials. The action of Miss Mere.
dith was condemned as being hurtful
to the organization The report also
says that il any person or persons
feel or know that officers or members
Of the United Mine Workers Of Amer
lea are derelict in their duty. charges
should and must be preferred in the
proper manner, and have the guilty
parties properly punished. Miss Mere
dHh was formerly President Mitchell's
amanuensis, and said that he and Sec
retary Wilson copcealed from the
miners the exact condition of former
Treasurer Pearce's accounts.
By a rising vote the report signed
by the nine members Of the commit
tee was adopted.
After the report had been unani-
mously adopted, there were loud cries
for Mitchell. The president stepped
to the front Of the platform and said
"There is very little that my feelings
will permit me to say. A great wrong
has been done Mr.. Wilson and myself.
It has been repaired as far as you can
repair it, but it has not been wholly
repaired From one end of the coun-
try to the other your fellow-craftsmen
have heard the report that charges
have been preferred against your ma
tional officers, Many who have heard
the accusations believe them to be
true. l thank you for the unanimous
vote showing your confidence and
trust"
At the close Of his speech the cheer
ing was almost deafening. Then there
were calls for Secretary Wilson. He
responded briefly
The committee on resolutions re-
! fused to concur in a resolution pro-
viding that all men doing guard duty,
taking part in a private army" in the
/ service of any coal corporation, should
/ be debarred from membership Bitter
antagonism to all such guards cropped
out. There was a difference of opin-
ion as whether this resolution would
debar militiamen from membership in
the miners organization. President
/ Mitchell said it would not.
Another resolution for the "estab
lishment OF a fund for the purpose
of helping all miners over so years OF
age and disabled miners, and that
each and every member of the United
Mine Workers Of America be assessed
for that purpose" was tabled.
The convention emphatically disap
proved Of a socialistic resolution to
the effect that a political party should
be organized, having for its purpose
the welfare of the laboring people OF
the country in lighting for govern
ment ownership"
It is conceded by the miners Off
cials that the movement to get tho
operators Of Virginia and West Vir
ginia to meet them in this city is al
most a failure, although it is con
tended that the work Of the organiza
ton is advancing satisfactorily in both
states. The scale committee had an
other meeting yesterday afternoon
but will not be ready to report before
Saturday, and possibly not until th'
middle Of next week. President VaI
Horn, OF Indiana, indicated that thu
miners Of his state will demand Al
increase Of more than 10 cents {
ton, but no agreement had been reach
cd as to whether or not an absolutl
run Of mine basis will be asked 70
this state.