The sun., 1905-12-16
MINERS GIVE HOPE FOR PEACE
ALL ANTHRACITE DEMANDS GO
TO CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.
Union On!ciais Are Instructed by Con.
yention TO Meet Operators ana Make
Best Terms Possible. 10 lie submitted
TO q Later Convention for Ratification.

| fentIOn TO Meet Operators ana Make
Best Terms Possible, 10 De Submitted
TO Later Convention for Ratification
SHAMoKIN, Pa, Dec I5.--The United
Mine Workers convention adopted the
scale committees report to-day, which
gives their representatives big leeway
in their efforts to reach satisfactory under
standing with the heads of coal companies.
The delegates resolved to proceed very
cautiously In their efforts toward main
tanning friendly relations with the operators.
The scale committees report was as follows;
we have considered and discussed the
policy the pursuit Of which we believe
would prove most advantageous to our
constituents and which II adopted would
conduce TO the best interests OF all dependent
upon the anthracite coal industry.
| we recommend that committee con-
sisting Of the officers and the executive
boards Of districts One. Seven and Nine be
delegated and instructed to confer with
the representatives Of the various mining
companies for the purpose Of formulating
an agreement to govern wages, hours OF
labor and other conditions Of employment:
such agreement to be effective beginning
April /, 1905, the date upon which the award
OF the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission
expires.
| ANY agreement entered into between
| the above named committees and the var-
| ratification or rejection TO a convention Of
anthracite mine workers to be held prior
TO April /, 1909, and all resolutions now In
| the hands OF the scale committee or which
may be introduced hereafter in this con-
vention bearing upon the matter Of wages,
hours Of labor and other conditions Of en-
ployment shall be referred to the special
committee provided for herein"
Following the adoption Of the report, the
convention adjourned at noon, whereupon
t1h frut- hal f,ll
The committee will hold special meet
Ing Immediately following the final adj
journment Of the convention to map out a
programme best suited for the delegation
to place the demands before the coal COM
panies. There has been no intimation from
the operators that they will treat with us.
MIR Mitchell by. special vote Of the
convention this afternoon. was made O
member Of the special committee,
BY virtue of having the authority to pass
on resolutions the special committee was
endowed with extraordinary power. Many
OF the most important resolutions Of the
delegates and their locals were not read
in open session, but were handed over to
Mr.. Nit chell.
A resolution dealing with the establish
ment of homes for miners was defeated,
owing to Mitchells strong stand against it.
Last year the State Legislature passed a
law that homes should he built by coal
operators and miners, the share Of the
The law was never enforced and the resou-
ton was intended to urge the authorities
to put the measure in force. majority
of the miners said they paid for the support
of State almshouses and that they could
not spare additional money for charitable
purposes.
Strong resolutions demanding increase of
wages the eight hour day and recognition
were presented and all We're referred 10 the
special committee
A resolution which called forth a strong
arraignment Of the Coal and Iron Police
from President John Fahy was one de-
nouncing Gov. Pennypacker and the last
legislature for passing the Mounted Con-
stabulary Police act, and asking the extra
session to releal the law 1t was defeated
bye small ma iority.
Fahy, sgeaking for the legislative COM
mittpp said
1.-The Coal and Iron Police law is an oren
insult to the working rooFle and to the
State of Pennsyya mia. l am not speak
ing of the individual men who happened
to be policemen, but of the system. |
don't know of any other State where there
is law of that kind. A corporation may
him legal power The employer tells him
what to do and no one is responsible for
him The law provides for a standing
army. Nearly 5000 were in the region
during the last strike, and it is not right for
the State to set itself on one side in such a
controversy. | want every man to get
every privilege get. but not one more
THE consta bulary law is in the same
class as the Coal and Iron Police act
understand two conn anes are to be sta
toned in the anthracite and two in the
bituminous region. ] am sorry another
comrany is not at Harrisburg in the in
terest Of the Governor, who suggested the
law. If it is good thing let him have a
dose of it
He concluded his remarks by stating that
the committee opposed the bill but that
it was the Governors chicken and he took
care OF it.
The action tafen by the convention
to-day is very different from that taken
by the convention of March 1902. Then
q strike was ordered to take effect April
unless through the Civic Federation
the concessions the miners dema nded
shorter hours and increased wages-be
granted. On April truce of thirty days
was declared, but the opera tors remained
firm, and on Monday, May IL, 1902 the
anthra cite mines shut down and inaugu-
rated the greatest strike in their history.
This year no stated dema nds are de.
and the committee is not instructed to call
a strike if certain concessions are not
granted.
1t is the opinion of we'll informed mine
officials here that the heads Of the coal
companies will refuse to meet President
Mitchell and the committee II is believed
that next March the operators will post at
their collierics notices addressed to their
employees offering to continue the present
agreement for year or term of years
and that each company will insist upon
dealing exclusively with its own employees.
The New York locals of the Brotherhood