The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-09-06
DEMANDS ID BE HADE
 ON COAL OPERATORS
ANTHRACITE MINERS CONVEN- TION TO BE HELD IN SHA-
 MOKIN, DEC. 5 TO10

Recognition of the Union Leads the
 List of Demands-substItuti of an
 Eight-HOur Day for Nine-HOur Comes
 Next-Increase in Pay for Men and
 Boys Not Contract Miners but Chased
 as UnsIxtIied LabOr-UnifOrm Scales
 of Wages for Workers Not Actually
 Miners.
 Philadelphia, Sept. 5.-John Mitchell, president of the United Mine Workers of America, was in this city to-day, ill his capacity as vice-president of the American Federation of Labor, to join with Viee-President Duncan, of the federation, and others in the settlement of dispute involving typesetters and printers. He left for Shamokin to- night.
 It can be stated on the highest au- thority that the convention of anthra- cite miners, which will draft new de- r1lands for presentation to the coal companies on the expiration, of the strike commissions award on April 1 next, will be held in Shamokin between December and 10.
 It was learned here to-day that the December convention at shamokin will make the following demands: ....
 First--A recognition of the miners union by the coal operators, the recog- milton to take the form of signed agreement. +s-
 Second-The substitution of an eight hour work day for the 1nine-hour work day awarded by the strike commission, which is now in force throughout the hard-coal fields,
 Third-An increase in pay over the minimum wages now paid to men and boys who are nos contract miners, but are generally classed as unskilled la . borers. s' l.t..
 Fourth-A uniform scale of wages for workers, not actually miners, at all col- lieries.
 The Shamokin convention. it is stat ed, will work on the basis that the con tract miners obtained all they were en- titled to by the award of the strike commissions, and that the time has come to endeayor to secure better and uniform pay for, the other classes of workers. a4@.s
 MT. Mitchell made no secret of his intention to back up with his influence the demands for the recognition of the union and an eight t-hour work day.
 T can only repeat said MT. Mitch ell, ''what said intmy Tamaqua speech that 1t is my firm conviction that lasting peace in the hard-coal fields can only be had through the recognition of the union and an eight-hour work day, s. #~s vi z. =u,& ,.' It was pointed out to MT. Mitchell that since he made the Tamaqua speech the statement had been made that the views he expressed could not be grant, ed without an advance of fifty cents a ton being levied on consumers of coal. President Mitchell replied: Taking the figures of experts, the coal companies collected $S0,000,G00 extra from consum- CTS following the award of the strike commission, and they have never pre- tended that the miners got more than $16,0O0,000 as their share"
 What objection will the miners be able to make that will be satisfactory to the public, if they are urged by the operators to continue an extension of the commissions award, which, it is admitted, has resulted in unexampled prosperity in the coal fields?" MT. Mitchell was asked.
 If we are confronted with that de- mand suppose it will be necessary for the miners to produce their pay state- ments in order to show what share of the prosperity has accrued to them," answered the miners chief q. ..3~~'
 Are the members of the union so eager for the recognition of their or ganisatior and for an eight-hour work day that they are prepared to precipi- tate crisis if they are refused them?" MT. Mitchell was asked.
 T cannot answer that question. You see, the miners have not yet held their convention, and it would be presumptu- ous for me to say in advance what they will or will not do."