The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-19

district officers. refused to work and
pressed their determination TO remain idle
until the old rates were restored. similar
reduction was proposed in what is called
the Tunnelton district of West Virginia,
which the mine workers declined to accept.
Inc result Is that approximately o,OUo men
are idle in these two districts, and there
appears to be no immediate prospect OF
settlement.
''In District 10, Tennessee and southwest
ern Kentucky, q number of strikes were
forced upon US and some of them are still
In progress. All of these strikes have been
supported by the national organization and,
will be shown by the secretary's report,
a large sum of money has been expended
in their prosecution. 1t has been the poll
cy OF your officers to maintain peaceful
relations with the mine owners, adjusting
all differences in the manner prescribed
by our laws and the declaration Of princi-
piles embodied in our constitution We
have sought to avert strikes whenever pos
slble, but there are times and circumstances
when the integrity of our organization and
the interests committed to our care are 50
involved as 10 render IL more honorable
to strike than to accept employment upon
conditions dictated solely by the operators.
And while we may not succeed IN every
strike in which compelled to engage,
yet it is always better to resist injustice
than meekly to submit to 1t. To para
phrase the words of Tennyson, II is better
to have resisted and lost than not to have
resisted at all.
RUN OF MINE.
'At every miners convention of which
1 have either knowledge or recollection,
demand has been made that the coal we
produce should be weighed and paid for
upon a run of mine basis. Constant and
persistent agitation has resulted in the
adoption Of this method in practically
every coal producing State of the country
ton of Pennsylvania. Failure to secure this
reform in these districts has not been due
to lack of effort on the part of the or
ganized mine workers, but has been the
result of circumstances over which we had
no control. 1t is my opinion that perma-
nent peace and general satisfaction cannot
be secured until a uniform system of
weighing and paying for coal has been
adopted. And to this end / would advise
that the demands of previous conventions
be repeated and that the scale committee
be instructed to make effort to have the
Interstate agreement formulated upon
run of mine basis.
81 desire to submit for your consider
alton the question of sending delegates to
meets each year in Great Britain or In one
of the continental countries.
IAN invitation has been received from
Mr.. Benjamin Pickard, member of Parlia
ment who is secretary of the Miners Fed
GRAFTON of Great Britain, asking our
ganization to participate In the next con-
gress, TO be held at Paris. France, on May
%. For your information, L will say that
there are many subjects discussed at this
international convention which are of vital
interest to the coal miners of the United
States; among them being the eight-hour
day, minimum and maximum wage scale
old age pensions, inspectionship of mines
naturalization of mines. strikes. disease
and fatalities. At the present time there
are represented in this congress all the diff
ferent miners associations of England,
Scotland. Wales, Belgium, Germany
France and Austria.
resolutions adopted by the Manufacturers
Association and the Citizens Industrial
Alliance. DECLARING the opposition of these
seems TO me that when the enemies of
labor either openly or covertly attack the
emblem of fair wages and American con-
ditiUns Of employment IL is time for the
members of trade unions TO rally to IT'S
defense. 1t is only justice to say that an
overwhelming majority Of the members of
our organization are active and earnest in
their support of the union label, but as
long as even a small minority of our men,
bers, either through Indifference or ignor-
ance, continue to purchase the product of
the sweat shop or goods manufactured by
workmen or employers antagonistic to or
ganized labor, we should not abate or dis
continue energetic efforts in this direc-
ton.
I'm order that our members may more
thoroughly familiarize themselves with the
labels of the various trades, / would recon-
mend that our national secretary be in
structed to procure and transmit to each
local union a card or pamphlet bearing
facsimiles of the labels of the various or
CARNATIONS. / should further recommend
that the order of business of local unions be
so amended as to require that at least ten
minutes time shall be devoted at each
meeting TO the discussion Of the question of
union-made goods, and that a standing
committee be selected by each local union
whose duty it shall be to promote the pur-
chase and sale of goods bearing the union
label
LEGISLATION CONSIDERED.
There are two bills pending in the
United States Congress which deserve and
should receive the Endorsement of this con-
vention and the active support of all our
local unions. They the anti-injunction
| bill and the eight-hour BILL both of wlnch
have passed the lower house of Congress
and are now on the calendar of the Sem
ate.
'It is quite unnecessary to discuss the
merits of these bills or the conditions which
| led up to their introduction. The evils
which have grown out of the indiscrimi-
| nate issuance of federal injunctions. the
| insidious attempts upon the part OF some
( of our federal judges TO deprive US of the
right of trial by jury, are so well known TO
! the trade unionists of our country as to
| require no elaboration in this report. There
/ fore. / would recommend that the national
| secretary be instructed to ascertain the ex-
| act status OF these bills. to secure their
| proper numbers and titles and To send a
! circular letter containing this inforua-
! ton to each of our local unions with such
instructions as will enable our members
! collectively and individually to petition their
| representatives in Congress to vote for
/ these measures.
/ I'm my judgment this convention should
place itself clearly on record I'm favor of
i the enactment of laws prohibiting the en-
| ployment of boys in coal mines at less than
/ sixteen years of age. There may be in
| stances I'm which the enforcement of such
/ q law would work hardship 20 widows or Ia
\ parents who infrm, but the whole
mining industry when our children should
/ be neither required nor permitted to enter
| the mines before they have arrived a the
| age of sixteen. The time has come when
the coal miners should insist uDon keen.
| ine. their children in school until they shall
! have opportunity TO acquire that education
| and physical and mental DEVELOPMENT
| which will fit them for the serious respon-
! sibilities OF future life. L have no patience
or sympathy with parents the height OF
| whose ambition seems to be to send their
| children to the mines and mills in order
| 20 secure their paltry earnings which. IN
| the long run. reduce the wages of the par.
| enCs themselves.
Trade unionism, as / understand II
| means more than increa sed wages IL mean,