The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-06-13
MINERS ELECT ALL
 THE OLD OFFICERS
tcontlnued from Fi.h Paqe.,


 Dama was the explosion that took place al Virginia mines, and where II miners lest their lives, leaving many widows and children to mourn their loss. and in many instances there were those who were left almost destitute in addition to the sad loss of their only means of sup pfrt.
 When this terrible accident occurred the ministers, professional business and laboring men of the Birming gham district rallied together and organized a central relief committee with headquarters in the city of Birmingham to take up subserip- tions for to relieve the distressed Noth- ing can more brilliantly illustrate the valuable efforts of this representative body than to state that through generous eXertion the grand sum of S2S. .015 was con- tributed. These contributions coming from business, professional and laboring men, and also from our national district and local organization, and is now being judiciously distributed by the gentlemen in charge. This will tend to keep away Restitution and bring sunshine to the homes of the unfortunate ones whose loved ones were taken away by that ter rible explosion for many months
 'tI desire to call the attention of this convention to the fact that during the contract year now ending, large sums of monies have been embedded from sev- eral local unions by the officers in charge and that in nearly every instance the bonds furnished by said officers were either worthless or else the various off eers would get together and destroy or in some manner dispose of the bonds, would therefore suggest that some ac- tion be taken on this matter by this con vention, either by compelling all officers handling the money of the union to furn- ish good security which should be ap- proved by their respective boards and bap 1aI tn rio ta be filed, so that such bonds could not be destroyed, or any other secure method that this convention in it's wisdom might see fit to suggest.
 '.I further desire to call your attention to q very unpleasant feature that seems 10 become more general throughout the district. that is the uncalled for suspen- sion of work at mines where grievances might exist without making the necessary efforts to adjust such grievance and es- pecially without the consent or action of the district board, and as this does Not tend to conserve the best interest of the miner or the operator. I think this convention should insert in our district constitution a clause which might aid in abalishing' such practice In the future.
 Tn conclusion I wish to state that it is very gratifying to know that during this long period of strike we have had the moral support and sympathy of the 
 especial mention of the inestimable value of the services rendered us by Attor- neys White X Sons, who have defended our members in court when charges were preferred against them. and they have succeeded in getting a verdict of acquittal in every case"
 Secretary-Treasurer's Report.
 The following is an excerpt from the report of Secretary and Treasurer J. l.. Clemo:
 At the close of business. April %. 1904 we had on hand in the district treasury $1s.174.9 90. Our income during the year was $46S 169. .26. making a total of $4S6,34416. Our expenditures for the same period were $440,9O.75. leaving balance on hand April 3O 1905. of $io 4o3. fl. With due consideration of the great struggle that we have been engaged in for the past ten months we have added to our treasury $27,22S.51. On the 12th day of August 1904, we had 9122 men on strike There were approximately 1000 men and their families that were able to care for themselves. At that time We had 2S122 men. women and children to care for We are now providing for 49o3 members and their families making a total of 16,S72. The amount paid for provisions to maintain our members on strike was 1865 .24S.33
 The paid up membership for the local unions that are at work for the month of April, 1905, was S624 During the twelve months. seven iocai uhiohs nave been organized"
 The summary of the itemized report of Secretary Clemo is as follows;
 Total receipts from May 1, 1904,
 to April 30, 19O5 .s4S6, ,344 16 Total disbursements i n same
 period ...,........'..'..'..'- 4fV9fo. ''
 ,rota1 s4 45, 403. fl
 The secretary reported also on the Virginia fund that had been received by him. The total amount was sn,2S6.So
 Vice President Greer.
 Vice President Greer's report was in part as follows:
 'sWhen the strike was declared last July many went out believing the ces- sation of work would be of short dura- ton, and that we should very soon re- tnrn 10 work with the word victory upon every tongue, but there were those who had read the signs of the times and predicted a long and bitter conflict. Those predictions were true.
 ..yery soon after the strike took place we began swinging around the circuit at tending mass meetings of the striking miners. I attended about fifty of those meetings and addressed the men upon the questions at issue The men were ureed to be loyal, to stand together, to be law-abiding.
 .During this time the emissaries of the companies were busily engaged en- deavoring to get the men to return to work. Inducements of all kinds were offered but the men stood firm Then threats, then notices to vacate. but the staunch unionists held out. Finally the order was given and hundreds were com pelled to move With winter rapidly ap- nroaching, with feeling that there would be untold suffering in new but poor quarters. our brave fellow workmen with their wives and little ones went out or those houses. whici, to many, had been ..home' eight, ten. and In many instances fifteen wears. Some occupied tents. others smal, houses. the lumber of which was