The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-06-13
MINERS ELECT ALL TIE OLD OFFICERS Eighth Annual Convention is
 Now in Session OFFICERS MAKE REPORTS Feeling of the Convention Seems to Be in Favor of a Continuance
 of the Present Strike
 Falrleys Speech.
OFFICERS MAKE REPORTS

The first day SeS8lOn or the elenln annual convention of district No. 20, United Mine Workers of America was taken mp with hearing the reports of of fieers and the annual election of officers. A president, vice president, national conn mitteeman, secretary and treasurer and five white members of the district execu- tive board were chosen yesterday after noon. Several other officers are to be elected when the convention reconvenes this morning at 10 o'clock.
 The annual meeting of the mine workers is being held in the Knights of Columbus hal. on Twentieth street, and although the attendance Is not as large as 1t has been at former conventions, much en- thusiasm Is displayed.
 A continuance of the strike which has been on in the Birmingham district for nearly twelve months seems to be the keynote of the feeling of the convention, Next Monday the annual joint wage scale convention will be held between the mine workers and the operators employ ing union miners This meeting Is sup posed to be ct4lled for the purpose of reaching an agreement relative to scale of wages for the year beginning July l.
 The convention was called to order yes- terday morning at 10:30 o'clock by Presi- dent Edward Flynn. National Commit teeman William R. Fairley, w. D. Ryan, secretary and treasurer of district No. l2, limited Mine Workers of America, of llli- nois. and Vice President B. L. Greer of district No. 20 occupied seats on the plat form with the president.
 Call for Convention.
 Secretary Clemo then read the call for the convention, which in part said
 aDelegates to the convention represent ing local unions that are on strike will be- paId their railroad and hotel bills by the district organization, hotel bill not to exceed H.25 per day. Local unions on strike must not send more delegates than gre required to cast the full vote of the local union he or they may represent, unless 1t be a mixed local that has live f5) votes or less. Such local union can send one white and one colored delegate.
 President Flynn announced the appoint ment of the following committees:
 Scale Committee Savage War rior. chairman; D. H. Harris, BrooK- wood: Hinds Staten. Nepo John Redd, Smiths Shaft; Andrew Reid, Brookside; T. M. Gilbert, Pratt City; D. G. Me- spadden, Belle Ellen; R. M. Montgom- cry (eolored), Kimberly; T. H. Hall (col- ored) Altoona; Will Atmore (colored), Piper; s. Johnson (colored), Adger.
 Constitution-J. H. Orange, Sayreton, cbairman; James o'Hare, Pratt City; Rob Hayes, Coleanor; J. R. Richardson, Palos; S. Houston, BroolSwood; T. Il. Hall, Altoona; VIII Atmoor, Piper; 5. Johnson, Adger.
 Resolutions-L B. Evans Graves Mines, chairman; c. M. McCary, Lucille; Adam Pow, wylam; P. R. Murray, Stout Noun tain; J. l.. Nelson, Hargrove.
 Appeals and Grievances-G. Jackson, Rlocton, chairman John Hynd, Warner; w R Randolph, GampIe; homer Mor- gan. searles; Harrison Phillips, Lewis burg.
 officers-W. S. Sweeney, Johns, chair man; M. Richards, DeSoto; c, c. Hartley. Virginia; George Smitherman, Wylam; Tom Withers, Cane Creek
 The report of the committee on creden- tials was then read, which showed that a total of 1Os delegates, with votes amounting to 2O4, were entitled to seats on the floor of the convention. These delegates represent something like lO'OOO members of the United Mine Workers of America.
 Report of President.
 The report of the president was then read In referring to the strike he said
 "At o,r last annual convention the furnace operators refused to meet us in. Joint convention as has been the custom for many years previous. But eventually a scale committee of four superintendents of mines were selected to meet com mittee composd of four members Of the United Mine Workers of America But after several conferences had been held the committee faild to reach an agree ment. The suprintendentsa refusing to grant the demand of the miners for renewal of the scale in 1903 and 1901, said scale having been arranged by board of arbitration, of which board Judge Gray of Delaware was umpire, and was ar ranged only after a lengthy and exhaus- tive investigation.
 Failing to reach an amicable agree ment the joint scale committee adjourned indefinitely.
 "A special convention was then called by the district to meet on July 70 in Birmingham, delegates being instructed to come prepared to vote the acceptance of operators proposition or else to in- ausurate a strike, after hearing the re- mort of the joint scale committee, the delegates unanimously voted strike.
 'srhe furnace operating companies sign ad temnorary contracts granting the de-