The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-12-14
MUCH INTEREST is BEING TAKEN
IN CONVENTION CONVENED
THIS MORNING.
Action Will be Taken Concerninq Con-
ditions of Employment After
March 81, 1905.

centre of interest to hundreds of thou
sands of anthracite coal miners, who
will await with interest most intense
the result of the deliberations of the
convention of their delegates, which
opened it's session at the G. A. R. op
era house this morning. About sever
hundred delegates representing the
three great anthracite districts, known
as the Lackawanna. Schuylkill and Lee
high anthracite districts, No. 1, ano
9, were in attendance when the joint
convention Of the United Mine Work
ers of the three districts named was
called to order. The opening session
was devoted to addresses Of welcome
and routine business, which will he
continued in the afternoon session.
The object Of the convention is tc
consider and take action concerning
conditions of employment to become
effective after March 81, 1906. On
that day expires the agreement be-
tween the operators and the United
Mine Workers which was signed three
years ago, at the conclusion of the hie
strike in 1902. For some time it has
been clearly understood that the Unit
ed Mine Workers would refuse to re-
new the agreement after the expiration
of the three years and would insist on
certain demands, which the union was
not strong enough three years ago to
enforce. The conclusion of the agree
ment left the United Mine Workers in
a rather weakened condition, as thou
sands of the members dropped out
feeling secure for at least three years
1t was John J. Mitchell, who re-
cognized the danger of this decrease
in membership. Urged by him the Of
ficers of the three district branches
made energetic efforts to arouse en-
thusiasm among the miners of their
respective districts and to induce them
to join the organization. For over a
year the work was continued and at
present the organization has a men,
bership of over 10000 and a fund OF
nearly 100000 in it's treasury, which
may be used in case of a strike.
Ever since the agreement was signed
in accordance with the award made by
the Anthracite Coal Strike commits
sion appointed by President Roosevelt,
the miners were determined not to ac-
cept a renewal of the agreement, I'M
less the operators agreed to recognize
the union by making it a signatory
party to the agreement.
The recognition of the union is not
the only demand which the conven-
ton will make, but it is the most i'm
portant one and the one most likely t,
lead to a disagreement, and, event.
ually, to a strike, even more desperate
that that which ended three years ago.
1t is significant fact that, although
the situation has been thoroughly dis
cussed in the district conventions, none
Of the delegates to the joint conven-
ton were instructed. That leaves them
perfectly free to vote on any PROPOSE
ton that may come up. One Of tho
first things that will be done by the
convention will be to appoint a COM
mittee to wait upon the operators and
request conference This committee
will explain to the operators, if given
an opportunity, that the conference is
asked so that mutual agreement may
be reached as to the terms Of employ
ment at all the collieries after March
81 1906.
1t is considered certain that the con-
vention will take a stand for an eight
hour day and uniform pay for classes
of employees not rated as miners and
and specific terms Of employment, but
these will be held subject to a joint
discussion and will not be obtruded in
advance Of the request for a confer
ence. Should the operators issue or
post notice of their intention or will
lingness to continue in force the COM
missions award, this would be disre-
garded, unless the notice should be ad-
dressed to the convention, the United
Mine Workers or one or more Of the
authorized representatives of that Or
ganization. Should the operators re-
fuse to meet or discuss with union rep
resentatives, the convention will OPEN
ly declare on behalf Of the members
of the organization that they would re-
fuse to recognize the agreement after
March 81.
There is a strong ceiling of conf
dence among the delegates, that the
miners are now, if ever, in a position
| to dictate their terms to the operators
They are convinced that their demands
are just and will insist upon their &C.
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