The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-17
MITCHELL CHEERED
 BY THE DELEGATES
Alabama Strike Cost to Novem-
 Der 30, S572,731
EXPENSES EXCEED INCOME
Mitchell Says Satisfactory Progress Is Being Made Toward Confer ence With the Operators of
 the Anthracite District.

Indianapolis, January 16-President John Mitchell's announcement this after noon that satisfactory progress is being made toward conference between the mine workers and the operators of the anthracite region, drew round after round of applause from the 12o0 delegates as- sembled in Tomllnson hall for the seven- teenth annual convention of the United Mine workers of America. which began at 10 a. m. This announcement was made in the course of the presidents annual report and address almost as an inciden- tai remark. There was no further expla- nation in regard to the anthracite situa- ton from President Mitchell, but the word of their chief was enough.
 The report of Vice President Lewis told of the work of organization which has proceeded during the year just ended at a tremendous pace, and also gave glimpses of his connection with the adjustment of many difficulties which arose during the year in widely separated parts of the country. Secretary-Treasurer Wilson's re- port gave the statistics of the organiza- tion in full. and is a remarkable show ing of the wonderful strength and vitality of the United Mine workers.
 The convention adjourned until tomor- row.
 Expenses Exceed Income.
 w. B. Wilson, secretary of the United Mine workers, in his annual report, said that notwithstanding the increase of the per capita tax by the last convention, the expenses of the organization had ex- ceeded the income by SPA, 405.92. He said the organization during the year spent SG6,50O for the support of the strike at Morris Run. Pa; $2O,4O0 in District No. 10; $152, 600 In the Meyersdale Pa, region; $29,5 ,597 for the strikes at Cabin Creek, w. Va Spillman W. Va, and other points in District No. r: S2S42 for strikes in Dis trct No. IS; $T,025 for strikes in District No. 19; $402 724 in the Alabama strikes, and s140O in Michigan. The total expendi- ture for aid reached $75s,72s52.
 Cost of Alabama Strike.
 There are now 4634 men on strike in Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia and Kentucky. The Morris Run, Pa, strike cost in all $l11,OO0, the Meyersdale, Pa, strike cost in all $395, 900; the Alabama strike cost to November 30 $572,73l and the Tracy City and Whitewell strike cost to November 30, s127, 200 There is in the national treasury at this date $3S9,546; in twenty of the twenty-three district treas uries, s15SS0S7 in twenty-one of the thirty-one sub-district treasuries, $115- 449 and in the treasuries of three-hfths of the local unions, s6SS,0o1 making to- tai of $2679, 13S in the organizations treas uries The Journal has been run at a loss of s1716 during the year. The total in- come for the year was $S10,264 40, and the expenditures, S1.o24,670.3 g. Balance on hand $3S9. 546 40
 Contracts Will Soon Expire.
 President Mitchell. in speaking of the policy to be pursued by the miners in the coming joint conference with the coal operators, said:
 "I am conscious of the fact that moro than ordinary significance attaches to anything I may say as to the policy we should pursue when we meet the opera tors in joint convention, especially is this true at the present time when it Is well known that the minors of practically the entire country will soon be relieved of contract obligations and that they and their employers will be compelled in the event of a disagreement. to find some oth- CT means of adjusting their relations.
  may not be amiss to review briefly the history of the recent past.
 You will recall the depression in the coal trade in the fall and winter of 1905, which eliminated in reduction of wages in the spring of 1904. The adverse con ditions prevailing at that time continued during the year 1904 and even up to tho spring of 1905. From that time on, there was a gradual improvement both in prices ,fo1, ho the present and if the activity in the iron market, in the railroad industrial and commercial affairs of the country Is any barometer by which future conditions may be forecasted, the prospect Of continued prosperity in the mining industry seems assured. I recognize the fact that there is little sentiment and no philanthropy in the determination of our general wage agreement; however it appears to me that inasmuch that we gave relief to our employers by accepting lower rate Of wages at a time when there was little demand for coal, and when prices were falling below a profitable margin, they should reciprocate now and voluntarily share with us their present and prospee- tive prosperity.
 And l recommend that the scale com mttee take these facts into consideration in the formulation of their report.
 Many Obstacles Encountered.
 Tn the opening paragraphs or this re- port reference was made to the obstacles we have encountered in the work of or ganizaton. Lest our language be nisun- derstood when we speak of 'opon foes and protesting friends l desire, even at the risk of giving offense and inviting contro- versy, to say that we have been attacked from two sources which one would expect to be dlnmertically opposed
 'First, we have the Intense opposition of the ParryPost aggregation of union wreckers. who have antagonized every union fields of the country, especially the Irwin, Connellsville and Meyersdale dis tricts of Pennsylvania. the Georges creek district of Maryland the state of Color ado and the two yirginias
 Second, we have been opposed With vgor, although with different weapons, by an organization styling its0lf the ln- dustral Workers of tne World, and by its principal affiliated body, the Western Federation of Miners.
 "The recognized spokesmen of these or profess great solicitude Tor the welfare of the coal miners. they seek to convey the impression that the coal miners are so densely ignorant that they are unable to conduct their affairs or successfully to manage an organization of their own choice. Indeed these self advisers. none of whom, 10 my knowledge. ever worked In coal mine in his life, and most of whom have made failures of the sayeral organiza- tions with which they have been con neeted. justify their attacks upon us by saving that we make trade agreements vyhich so tie the hands of our members