The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-19
There Are Two Hundred Thousand
Coal Miners That Will Have to Be
Assisted Financially.
wRANGLE IN CLOSED SESSION
ARGUMENT OVER MANNER OF RAIS-
ING NECESSARY FUNDS.
specfaI Committee Decides Upon As
sessment Plan for Raising the
Defense Fund.

An assessment will be levied on the MEM
bers of the United Mine Workers suff1-
cient TO bring in $25O000 weekly for the
support OF the anthracite strikers and min
ers who are out in the bituminous dis
tricts. Secretary Wilson said yesterday
afternoon that the assessment would be
that heavy, but not sufficient to support
all the strikers. He said: I'VE calculate
that it will take about 10000 a week TO
successfully carry on the strikes in all
the districts. Either the levy of 81
week on all bituminous miners, recon-
mended by President Mitchell, or its equiv
alent in a percentage Of the earnings of
the miners will bring in s25O,OOO a week.
A 10 per cent. levy would bring in more
than that amount. We can raise the other
S250,000 from other sources. Many of the
trades unions of the country have pledged
their support and there are others outside
of the labor movement who will contribute.
A number of business men have pledged
US a weeks salary. Besides these resources
lump sums will be donated by districts and
local organizations of the United Mine
Workers. OF course we do not know the
amount of these donations, but they will
be liberal. 1 haven't the least doubt in the
world that we will be able to raise the
money"
ASSISTANCE NEEDED.
There are perhaps 100000 strikers all told
that will need assistance The national
organization has about 10000 bituminous
miners out in West Virginia and Virginia.
2.5OO out In the Pittsburg district OF Penn
sylvania and a strike in Hopkins county.
Kentucky, that has cost the national treas
ury 100000 in the last year. besides thou
ganizatioEs In Michigan there is also
strike. but a settlement is pending, await
ing the action of this convention. 1t is be-
lieved that a proposition of the operators
OF that State will be accepted when de-
cision is reached. W. F. Williams, presl-
dent Of the Michigan district, said that
the miners there did not wish to make q
contract until it was decided that there
would be strike. in order that ii would
not have to be broken. This is taken to
mean that ,he miners of Michigan have
been offered satisfactory terms. Then
comes the big item. the $4,000 strikers in
the anthracite region.
1--WE can easily maintain our men," said
Secretary Wilson. because this is an op-
perfume time. We only have to furnish
food. which is the smallest item. There
will be no expenses for clothing, household
goods or rent, expenses that usually have
10 be met on strikes. The men in the an
thracite region are pretty we'll fixed with
the exception of food supplies. West vir-
ginia is the only place where we have TO
house our men. The coal companies there
own practically all the houses and we are
keeping the strikers In tents. In other dis
tricts they have made arrangements with
their landlords about their rent. There are
some places where coal companies allow
the miners to live in their houses until a
settlement is reached"
GENERAL STRIKE IN BACKGROUND.
The situation as it now stands rests on
financial basis entirely. The question of
sympathetic strike seems 10 have almost
been forgotten except by few radical del
egates and all are at work TO devise means
OF building up a big defense fund. The
miners are Of one mind on that proposition
differing only in the manner in which 1t is
10 be raised and distributed. The matter of
working out the details of the assessment
was left 10 a committee composed of the
district presidents and the national officers.
and whatever proposition they make TO the
convention is apt TO be accepted. The COM
Tnittee will report TO the convention this
morning and it is likely that a settlement
will be reached so that the delegates may
return home tonight