The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-27
MINERS CONVENTION
COMPLETES ITS WORK
Business Before the Delegates Dis
posed of This Year in Rec
ord-Breaking Time.
OLD OFFICERS REELECTED
Resolutions That Were Given Con
sideration in Executive SEES
sion-Miners Leaving.

After breaking the time record Of all for
mer conventions in the disposal of bust
ness. the United Mine Workers completed
the work of the fifteenth annual convention
yesterday morning at II o'clock and ad-
journed until tomorrow morning, when
they will meet the operators of the central
competitive districts in the annual joint
wage conference. In the history of the
United Mine Workers no convention has
ever run so smoothly and done its work so
rapidly as the one just ended. 1t has been
successful so far in every appointment.
However, the battle is expected 10 begin
tomorrow, when the miners and operators
of the competitive States begin their fight
for the adjustment OF the annual wage
scale. Many of the miners left the city
last night, especially those who live at
great distance and are not directly inter-
ested in the joint conference. Despite this
fact, it was stated last night that more
miners are remaining for the joint confer
ence than ever before.
ADDRESS BY A WOMAN.
Although the convention will meet this
afternoon, it will not be for business, but
to listen to the address of Mrs. Virginia
Barlow lie Roy, editress of the Independent
Times, on Ultimate Unionism." Yester-
days session of the convention was short,
and all business had been transacted by IL
o'clock. The afternoon was spent by the
delegates in roaming about the city. An
other meeting of the executive board was
held at the headquarters in the Stevenson
building, but at it's conclusion the officials
refused to divulge the matters that had
been discussed.
At the executive session of the cOnven-
ton Monday afternoon one of the matters
for which the executive session was called
pertained to the levying of a monthly as
sessment on the members. Two resolutions
were presented during the convention, one
asking that tax of 80 cents be levied,
and the other providing for tax or .
cents. Both were referred TO the executive
board. The board stated yesterday that it
had taken the matter under Amusement
and recommended TO the convention that
an assessment OF . cents a month be
levied on each member, taking effect on the
first day of February, 1904. and To be col
lected through the district organizations
in the same manner as the Decent assess
ment is now collected. The board further
recommended that il be empowered To re-
duce the assessment to 10 cents month
at such time as the revenues OF the or
ganization are large enough to cover the
expenses of strikes. Recommending further,
the board stated that any district that does
not pay the assessment shall not be en-
representation
nual convention. The special assessment is
levied in order to increase the funds TO be
used in carrying on the strikes now eN-
listing in the Meyersdale region, in West
Virginia and i'm Colorado The question
was discussed at length in the executive
session and the recommendations of the
board were finally adopted.
COLORADO FIGHT.
A resolution was also adopted during the
executive session pertaining to the fight
now being carried on by the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners in Colorado. The resolu-
ton was introduced by w. r. Farley and
w. d. Ryan, and was unanimously adopted
by the convention. 1t reads as follows:
"Whereas. The Western Federation of
Miners is engaged I'm a heroic struggle TO
maintain the rights to organize in the State
of Colorado, and,
whereas This right is being assailed by
the Mine Owners Association, aided by the
entire National Guard of the State, in the
most unusual. INSCRIPTIONS and tyrannical
manner; therefore, be it
Resolved, BY the United Mine Workers
of America in convention assembled, that
we enter into a solemn protest against the
unconstitutional methods invoked against
our brothers of Colorado, and that we ten
der them our heartfelt sympathy and moral
support"
During the executive session a resolution
was also introduced which had Tor its OBJ
ject an increase in the salaries of the three
executive officers. The resolution was
framed by delegates from District 1 and
District g. and provided that President
Mitchell's salary be increased to 5000
year and that Vice President Lewis and
Secretary Wilson have their salaries raised
TO $1,000 year.. When the resolution was
put In the form of a motion it was laid on
the table.
OFFICERS REFLECTED.
As was expected. the report of the tellers
read yesterday morning showed that the
present executive officers were reelected
on the referendum vote. The report showed
further that:
The newly-elected delegates 10 the Amer
lean Federation of Labor are John Mitch
ell, L. l.. Lewis. w. Il. Wilson, w II. Has
kins, of Ohio; William Ryan. of Illinois;
John Fahy, of Pennsylvania district No.
9, and John II. Dempsey. of district No. /.
The newly-elected auditors are: John
Mossop. of Ohio: Patrick Fitzsimmons of
anthracite district No. l. Michael MacTag
CART. of Pennsylvania.
The new board of tellers is composed of
Matt Charlton. of Illinois. William Fitz-
simmons. of Pennsylvania, and James
Pritchard. of Ohio.
The full vote of the organization was
not cast. Mitchell. the head of the
ticket, received %. 633 votes: Lewis received
9l,SlO votes, and Wilson 91.S75. They had no
opposition.
The A r. of l.. aIternates are T. ID.
Nichols, of Pennsylvania: W. r. Farley,
Alabema; William DOdds, of Pittsburg;