The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-03-16
UNITED ACTION IS
M|TCHELL'S PLEA
Coal Miners Convention Opens
With 1000 Delegates in
Attendance.
PRESIDENT TELLS MINERS
OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY
Hopes for Reasonable COnces-
siOnS and Success of the
Wage Negotiations.

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, March IS
national convention OF the United
Mine Workers OF America opened at 10
o'clock with over 1000 delegates present.
! representing 1851 locals
The convention has been called by
President Mitchell to consider anl
questions that may arise in an agree
ment with the coal operators, that Will
prevent a general strike on April l
that would bring A25, 900 men from the
| mines
The conference with the operators
will begin here Monday next.
Action at Last Convention.
When the last convention OF the
mineworkers adjourned February ..
following a Joint conference with the
operators which had failed to arrive at
wage agreement, strike was or
| dered on April l. unless something
should intervene
Al that convention, which assembled
January l6, the miners had demanded
an Increase In wages of 121a per cent,
the admission of the Southwestern
States. per cent difterential between
machine and pick mining. 12ia per
cent advance for yardage and dead
work. prohibition OF employment or
boys under is years old. an eight-hour
| day, one-year contract and a run-of-
mine basis.
The Ryan Resolution.
The miners also adopted a resolution
offered by Mr.. Ryan of Illinois tina; no
district should sign a wage agreement
| until all the districts signed This ac-
| ton. known as the Ryan resolution,
VIII come before the convention for
consideration Unless IL Is rescinded
the bituminous miners cannot sign
| wage agreement until the aothracte
miners sign an agreement with their
operators.
Demands of Operators.
The operators. on the other hand de-
manded a reduction OF from 10 to Is
per cent. protection against sympa-
thetic strikes and a better system OF
adtudlcating local troubles.
on February . the conference ad-
journei after the defeat OF motion
that the present wage scale be contin-
ued. This motion Was offered by F. J..
Robbins OF Pittsburg who was the
spokesman for the operators
All of the operators voted for the mo-
ton except the Illinois operators who
did not vote, and all the miners voted
against the motion except Patrick Do
Ian who as president of the district
voted the western Pennsylvania miners
for the motion. He has since been de-
posed from office. but has refused To
resign.
S5,OoO,ooo Strike Fund.
At the former convention the miners
adopted a motion TO provide by assess
ment for a strike fund which would
bring the amount In the several treas
urles of the miners TO $4,000 900 This
matter was then left to the national
executive board,
Roosevelt's Initiative.
Since the adjournment of the former
convention and joint conference. Presi-
dent Mitchell has conferred with f. l..
Robbins and other leaders OF the ope-
rators. following the reception OF let
ter from President Roosevelt addressed
to both Sfr. Robbins and Mr.. Mitchell.
It was decided by Mr., Robbins and
other operators TO make an offer to re-
store tho wage scale OF two years ago.
which would be an increase OF S.6 per
cent over the present scale. However.
the opera tors of Indiana. Illinois, Ohio
and other States have opposed the
granting of any increase whatever.
IT has been the understanding among
the miners OF this district that the or
ganization would accept the restoration
OF the wage scale OF two years oSo.
Feud Laid Aside,
differences that have appeared to exist
between President Mitchell and Vice
President Lewis were apparently laid
aside and will not be allowed 10 inter
fere with the more important work OF
the convention, that the miners might
present a united front.
The first business of the conVents0D
was the work of organization and the
greater part OF the day was taken UP
with credentials of the delegates,
Mitchell Pleads for Peace.
In his opening speech President Mitch
ell said In part
IT take this occasion to report officially
that the operators of both the central
competitive and the southwestern fields
hnvo called meetings OF their representa-
tives TO be held In this city on Monday
morning. March 1e,
from various sources purporting to reflect
the Views OF operators, seem 10 indicate
an entire absence of unity and concord
among them In regard to the question of
advancing wages, | am pevertheless hope
full II not fully convinced. that the ur-
gency and seriousness of the situation
Will prompt them to make such reason
o bic concessions in the matter OF wages
and conditions Will enable us TO join
them I'm the rehabilitation of our Joint
agreement, and the perpetuetlon of the
practical business relationship under
which We have worked with mutual nd
vantage during the past eight years, and
to say that very large degree OF re-
Sponsibillty will rest upon US II these pro-
posed ncgotia lions lead TO success.