The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1904-08-04


s-ays..srg to : rsSEc-so- Q. A. -.
cer, TIE ,srt5I. S-jozs sID@c1 -
pssson q wages o. q, iezs; - =:
csL,
a s,rfks os grs0r ri.e workers. e-l.
oioyet tr he new mines sec7-ef Dr
JDssDE Later a. Ziezlsrs u TIE Car
soIGsie district. il threatened =,
once. The crfsls waE brought sbo.:
by demand from Letter that tne
union gorkmen accep. an Is-ceut
reduction from the basic scale of F,
cents per ton, mine T1n. T. ls said
tina; VI Letter has absolutely refused
20 srbitrate, and that a Etockade has
been built about hls mines and forty
Pinkerton detectives have been hired
~ guard the mines. Rumors say tha,
many Of the Southern Illinois coal
operators are preparing 10 join with
Letter In his stand for further re-
duction of Wages, but this is not cred.
tied by the mine workers officials,
because they have two-year contracts
with tho operators controlling those
mines.
The sixth annual convention OF the
first district, United Mineworkers OF
America, met In Pittston, Pa, July IL.
Two hundred delegates, representing
$4,000 mineworkers, were in attend
ance President Nichols read his re.
port for the year. In 1t he recon-
mends that an insurance plan TO be
adopted among the members OF the
union In outlining his plan he rec
ommends that so cents a month be
collected from each man in the dis
trict. The payment OF this amount
will entitle each miner or laborer to
$500 If killed or fatally injured in or
about the mines. He also recommends
that an organization committee also
be appointed in each local to keep
up the membership. Secretary-Treas-
urer John Dempsey presented his
yearly report, stating that although
the financial condition of the organ.
izatiOn Is better than 1t was a year
ago he regretted to report decrease
in the paidup membership. The dis.
trict treasury was in debt June 80.
1903, $110.51, and at the close Of the
present year, June 80, 1908, after pay
ing expenses, there IS left in the
treasury from all sources OF collec-
tion $20,0i9.
sympathetic strikes should never
be sanctioned or countenanced by
this organization" said President ID.
j. Keefe of the International Long
shoremen, Marine and Transport
Workers association in his address
TO the thirteenth annual convention
held at Milwaukee. Where the case
is worthy We may give moral support.
but our honor and integrity as an or
sani2ation is bound up in our con-
tracts and agreements and our very
manhood is NJ stake. To violate
these agreements and contracts by
sympathetic strike would be suicide
and dishonor. Public sentiment says
that arbitration is the most equitable
medium for the solution Of differences
between industrial forces. IL is a
common and dangerous error of por.
ton OF the public and some of our
members 10 believe that We must
have a law 10 govern all our rela-
tons with our fellow men. The
clamor for compulsory arbitration and
incorporation of labor unions is not
the desire ot any laborer who has
given the matter any consideration.
No friend ct organized labor can re-
gard compulsory arbitration as other
than Iwo-sdssi sword. The many
Iujunctious ot late by federal judges
Indicate how labor would fare with
i.,,.,. M, 'S.nry iax