The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-15
Miscellaneous receipts .............. IS, ,315.12 Balance on hand Dec. 1, 19O2 11,63O.12

Miscellaneous receipts .............. IS. .315.12 Balance on hand Dec. 1, 19O2 .... 11,63O.12
 IOtal s@uOi iV9' 10
 The expenditures were $59,92911. Balance on hand, December 1, 1903, $9,- 7S03S
 By rising vote an attempt to hold the annual election of officers at the after noon session was defeated. President Flynn announced that the full proceed ings of the convention will be printed in pamphlet form for distribution among the delegates.
 | An invitation was extended to Capt. Frank S. White to address the convention this afternoon a l: 80 o'clock. Capt White is the attorney for District No. 20. A motion was then made to adjourn. This was not adopted.
 w. R. Farley. national committeeman of the district was then called upon for a report. MT. Fairley said that he desired to wait until this morning to make a report as he was feeling quite unwell. He said, however that he was glad to have the opportunity of addressing the conven- tion again.
 MT. FairIey's Report.
 'T thoroughly agree with your officers, gentlemen of the convention, when they tell you the past year has been the most serious since 1 came into your state, with the possible exception of 1S93" Mir. Fairley said that he supposed the convention was anxious to hear some thing about the recent arbitration. 'I have heard there was probably some dis satisfaction over the award of the arbi- trators," he said
 "I understand that some have said that Vice President T. L. Lewis and myself should have only agreed to the three de- mands of the miners. But I want to say to you, gentlemen. the arbitrators did the very best they could-openly and honest ly. We did not get all possibly that we expected to, but let me say to you we got a good deal more than the fellows on the other side expected we would get And l want to say to you that while I have admiration for and confidence in Judge George Gray, the fifth arbitrator, yet do him no injustice when I tell you that he was not in favor of advancing wages. Arbitration at best is but a com promise, but it is much better than strike
 Judge Gray was in favor of a semi monthly pay day, and shorter hours, but was not in favor of increasing the wages of the miners in district No 20 You might ask how it came about that the semi-monthly pay was granted. and how two cents and a half increase was given.
 
 It was for the reason that Tom Lewis and myself contended for shorter hours, and the arbitrators on the other side bit terly contended that they could not short en the hours because 1t would disorgan- ize their properties. That contention went on for more than day. We were demanding an eght-hour day, five cents a ton minimum and maximum increase in pay. We fought on until Il o'clock one night and eventually Judge Gray, and let me say it to his credit got on his feet and asked the operator arbitrators whether they had rather give an ad- vance in wages or shorter hours 'Vice-President Lewis and myself knew Judge Gray was going to force the oper- ators to shorter hours or vote with us on some increase in mining prices. Min CTS had rather have increase in pay than to have shorter hours. we thought We therefore, withdrew our eight-hour de- mand. knowing that we could get it at some other time in the near future.
 "At that stage of the proceedings one of the operators made a motion to ad- iourn. It was then II o'clock and be- tween that hour and the next morning