The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-26
MINERS DISTRICT CONVENTION
 MEETS AND DECLARES A STRIKE

Coal and Iron company, the Tutwiler Coal. Coke and Iron company, the Lacey Buck company, the Jenifer Furnace com pany and the Northern Alabama Coal and Iron company All of these companies are furnace operators. The commercial com panles affected are the Little Cahaba Coal company. the Central Coal company. and a few other small concerns Thirty one commercial companies signed aswork- Ing agreement early in the month. The Woodward Iron company Is the only fur nace concern that had signed a tempo rary contract
 No Excitement.
 There was no excitement, no show of temper and no evidence of resentment when the miners gathered in Knights of Columbus hall yesterday morning. Every delegate there seemed determined to do what he deemed was right for the men he represented and equally determined to view the situation with deliberation in stead of anger or passion While the delegates seemed determined not to accept the proposition recently submitted by the operators they looked upon 1t as purely a matter of business As one delegate expressed it There Is no cause for excitement or, temper. We come here as business men to settle a business proposition. We think our labor Is worth more than the companies think they should pay Under this difference of opinion we will simply quit work until it Is settled"
 The convention was called to order at 11:15 o'clock and almost immediately went into executive session. At 1sO o'clock the convention adjourned and 1t was an- nounced that strike had been declared
 The miners headquarters in the Chali- foux building was a scene of activity yes- terday afternoon. The officers were get ting everything in readiness so that the strike would be conducted on business principles and late in the afternoon the executive committee held a meeting to pass upon several matters of interest to several of the locals in the district.
 FairIey Talks.
 W. R. Fairley, member of the national board. and Edward Flynn, president of the Alabama district, were in the best of humor while discussing the situation at headquarters.
 When asked If there would be joint conference with the operators Mir. Fair ley said: "I can't answer that question now We have declared a strike and the next move will have to be made by the operators.
 Tn my opinion the miners will not re- cede from their position" continued MT. Fairley, "and if a joint convention is held 1t will have to be on the iniative of the operators. We have declared our po- sition and now they will have to declare theirs.
 Tn other words" laughlngly said MT. Fairley. "as the Scotchman says, we are forinst 1t and will simply sit still and await results.
 No" he said in answer to an Inquiry. We do not fear any acts of violence. Our men are law-abiding citizens and are treating this strike as business matter pure and simple"
 A President Flynn.
 President Flynn practically acquiesced in the views of MT. Fairley and said that nothing could be done now but await results.
 There are something like 5000 miners affected by this strike" said President Flynn. About 45OoO men will continue at work under the temporary contract signed by several of the commercial companies. Of course you understand this does not mean walk out tomorrow. The men affected have done no work since the first of July, awaiting an adjustment of the wage scale. They will now remain away from the mines until terms have been agreed upon at which they can re- turn to work
 'The organization is very well prepared for a strike" continued MT. Flynn. Though. naturally, everybody would pre- fer not to have a strike if 1t could be honorably avoided. We are asking no change in the contract but are satisfied to let the wage scale remain as it was last year. The operators are the ones who want 0 change"
 The Operators.
 The officials of the large furnace com panies take the situation quietly. President Don H. Bacon of the Tennes- see Coal Iron and Railroad company, when asked last night if he had any statement to make, replied with an em- phatic mo-
 President T. G. Bush of the Alabama Consolidated declined to be interviewed. President J. c. Maben of the Sloss-Shef- field company said: There is little for me to say The formal strike does not a1- ter the situation so far as our company Is concerned, as our union miners have been out since the first of the month When iron is high I am glad to pay high wages, but as the market is now the furnace com panies cannot pay last years wages with out losing money The Sloss- Sheffield company continues to operate six of it's seven furnaces.
 There has been no conference of the furnace operators recently and MT. Maben said yesterday that he had no idea when a conference would be called