The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-25
A LONG STEP WESTWARD
UNITED NINE WORKERS INCORPO-
RATES MONTANA AS A DISTRICT.
Western Federation Of Miners Loses
Territory n the Result Of So
cfalfstic Affiliations.

The organization of the United Mine
Workers has incorporated a new district,
which marks the longest step westward yet
taken by the union. The new district in
cludes every mine in the State of Montana,
except one, which ultimately is expected to
be brought into the district. 1t is now ex-
cluded on account OF the objection Of the
operators, who do not favor the new union
in the West. The miners are powerIess to
act on their own account because the COM
pany owns a system of irrigation which
supplies the mines with water, and the OPP
orators say they will turn of the water
supply II the employees join the union.
Thomas Burke. of Illinois. member Of the
national board. has been working on the in
stallation of the new district for the past
six months, and says 1t is only a question
of time until compromise is made where
by the one remaining mine will be entered
in the district. r. NJ. Burke, of Stockett,
Mont, is president. and d. M. Berger. of
Red Lodge. Mont, is secretary of the new
district, which means an additional men,
bership to the union of about $4,000.
: This latest westward movement of the
United Mine Workers is more the result of
a political situation which exists among the
miners of the West. The mine workers
beyond the Mississippi are bound together
by the western Federation OF Miners. The
organization includes for the most part ore
miners. but 1t has repeatedly tried to enter
the Eastern coal fields and has failed At
a recent convention OF the federation 1t
voted that, as a political party, its policy
should be socialism.
POSITION WEAKENED.
However, judging from the movements in
the West at the present time, there is a
growing dissatisfaction with the federation,
whose position has been weakened by its
intimacy with the Socialist party. At least
the secession of $1,000 miners from the fed
Grafton in Montana and their subsequent
affiliation with the United Mine Workers is
evidence that the miners of the Western
Federation are not satisfied. What effect
the lifting Of 30 many Of their members
will have on the federation or what action
Mine Workers are congratulating them
selves on the new acquisition. Harry Brous-
field, another member of the national board
who is working in behalf of the union in the
West, says that the prospect is now bright
for the formation of district at Vancouver
and Nanaimo. British Columbia, the back
bone of the Western Federation Of Miners.
The United Mine Workers have steadily
been moving new unions westward. Dis
trict IS. which covers the State of Colorado,
has until the formation of the Montana dis
trict been the most Western union. Mr..
Sexton, editor of the United Mine Workers
Journal, said yesterday: I'VE can now say
what we have never been able to say be-
fore-that there is not State or Territory
In the United States or British Columbia
In which coal is mined that the United Mine
Workers are not represented. With the in
stallation of the new district We need only
one more district to I'LL out the consecu-
tWenty-flVc
that is No. 8. 1t now appears that this dis
trict will soon be organized from the ter
ritory of old district No. 2, which included
all the mines between the Tioga river,
Pennsylvania, and Roanoke, w. Va. but
was dissolved during the great strike of
1894"