The daily tribune., 1904-03-15
10 r1l1s 10 srRlKE.
RseeansaAatssas Of the Natisnal
ODcess lssued In Accordance With
~ Iastsuet,eas sf the SPECIAL
Coavsntisa.

& ~ Ustssl Mine Workers Of
Ansrice:
0restine.-At the recent special
eppvsn'iou Of the United Mine Work
sss of America. which had under con.
slAsraiou the ultimatum Of the opera
tsss. . rssoiesiou .was adopted refer
ssss The entire proposition 70 tho mem
hsrs Of thoss districts whose contracts
expire April lat. 1907. for their accept
ancs or rejection. and the National
olRcisls were authorized to send ont
70 the local unions such reoommendA-
tions, relative to the rest policy to
pursue In tine crisis that now confronts
%. ~ In their judgment. would most
thoroughly promote the present and
fstsrs welfare Of the organization
and its members. Pursuant to these
tutsruotiops We herewith submit for
your consideration our reoom,nenda-
tioua. together with brief summary
Of our reasons tor arriving at these
conelusioes.
No one who 10 familiar with the
past history Of the United Mine Work.
err Of America will charge NJ with
being afraid to strike. IL, in our 5udg-
mept. . striAo would accomplish eene'
iicial results. but when 1t is proposed
TO risk all tbst our organization has
gainAd for the mine workers In the
pest seven years by means Of concilis-
tion. srbitrAtion and strikes. on the
issue Of single conflict, when the
difference between rs and our en-.
ployers ID but three cents per ton on
. run Of mine basis, and i've cents
per ton on . lump coal basis. we
believe is 10 sime to stop and carefully
consider the possible consequences Of
such an important act.
Since 1897 our organization has
been riding on the crest Of an indus
trial boom. It has rapidly Increased
in numbers and financial srtength.
which In connection with n conserva.
tive policy, has enabled 1t to increase
our wages in the competitive Held
an average of over seventy flve per
can't. It has firmly established within
the central coal field aud adjacent
districts, = uniform eight.hour work
oay. 1t has secured the check. of
~ ten BY which every person work.
ing in and around the mines 10 requir-
Cd 70 pay his pro rata share towards
maintaining the organization which
has secured for him such improved
conditions OF employment.
Il il conceded on all sides that the
apex Of industrial activity has been
reached. and we are slowly moving
toward au industrial depression. The
operators came into the joint conven-
tion asking for reduction in wages
Of fifteen per cent. Their proposition
was opposed by us with all the in.
formation and all the skill at our
command. Az Al ultimAtum from
which they Id not be moved thev
offered us reduction from present
scale prices Of five and fifty Ave one
hrndreths per cent.
We know how hard 1t is to be COM
PEELED to accept = reduction in wager,
but Il 10 better to accept a slightly
low rate and hold your organisation
intact. ready to take advantage of any
improvements which the future of the
trade may show, than to be forced to
accept . greater reduction at the end
Of disastrous strike that may leave
our organization SO weakened and
demoralized that it would be unable
to cope with tho vast combinations
Of capital now engaged in the coal
trade.
No chain is stronger than the
strength Of its weakest link.
We have some weak links in the
chain Of our organization.
II . strike Is inAugurated we have
NO assurance that we can control the
situation in West Virginia outside of
the Kanawha field and q few opera
tions on the Baltimore and Ohio road.
Neither can the Irwin, Connelisville
nor Klondike fields in Pennsylvania
b, depended upon to cease work II .
general suspension 10 declared. On
the CONTRARY. the indications are that
they will continue to work, and while
such action on their part might not
materially injure us in the face of
advancing prices. it would be = ser.
Ions MANAGE to our success when the
maxtet IL ON the decline. Men who
will strike and suffer all the hard.
ships Of . long srtuggle when they
know that others are striking also,
viii hesitate. weaken. and finally
return to work when day after day
coal IL bsing produced and shipped
(ooellnsed On third pase.)