Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-09
MINERS RATIFY AGREEMENT
Anthracite Men Will Resume Work at
Nearly All Mines Tomorrow.
GREAT OVATION FOR PRESIDENT MITCHELL
Few Of the Radicals Attempt Ia
ProIonE Suspension. but Their
Speeches Are Received
In silence.

SCRANTON, Pa. May S.Wurk will be
commenced by the mine workers through
out the anthrac cite field Thursday morning
The repair men and any others necessary
70 prepare the collieries for general ope-
ration will report for work tomorrow
morning This WAS decided upon at the
closing session Of the convention held
this afternoon At the morning session
the agreement entered into on Monday be-
tween the operators and the scale COM
mittce was formally ratified.
A few Of the radicals once more took
the floor, when motion to ratify the Mon
day agreement was made and once more
urged the suspension to be turned into a
strike but they were hopelessly in the
minority and their remarks were listened
to in silence. The convention adopted reso-
lutions condemning the state constabulary
and providing for the mine workers an
organization taking an active part in poll
tics in the nomination and support Of legis-
lative candidates.
ovation for Mitchell.
President Mitchell was not present during
the earlier proceedings OF the convention.
When he entered the hall he was vocifer-
ously applauded and was called upon for a
speech. He said:
This will probably be the last time that
shall address you, and IL might be well
for me 10 say one or two things. Some are
inclined to believe that because we have
not secured an advance in wages or any
| Improvement m the conditions Of employ
ment that we have not accomplished any
Thing. want TO say that i believe you
have taken the most advanced step in the
history OF this movement
You have secured what you have never
before seCured-a signed agreement with
the operators. II is an agreement which
2
Workers, but with the officers of that
organization, hut they have signed an agree
ment with YOUR national president and with
your district officers.
l am convinced that If the United Mine
Workers maintain the strength and solldity
of their organization that three years
hence the railroad presidents will ask you
TO make an agreement with them, rather
than that you should be forced to ask them
to make an agreement with you.
Last summer l made tour through this
| region. l urged the mine workers to come
back into the organization. At that time
/ there were only $4,000 members. AT the
| close of that tour there were $1,000 mem
| bers in the organization. Had that tour
| not been made there would have been a
! reduction In wages. according to reliable
! information that ] have in my possession.
My Information is that the railroads were
ready to increase the working day from
nine to ten hours. 10 require the engineers
| TO work seven days in the week and to
| require the fremen to work twelve hours,
| instead of eight II this is true, then We
have won a victory.
Plea for Loyalty.
Mr.. Mitchell concluded with a plea for
loyalty TO the union.
There was tremendous outburst of APP
plause when Mr.. Mitchell sat down. The
convention adjourned sine die Immediately
after.
Mr.. Mitchell will leave tomorrow after
noon for Indianapolis
! Mitchell Rejects Arbitration OHer.
| CHICAGO. May S.-The peace conven-
tion of the bituminous coal operators will
open here tomorrow morning in the knowl-
edge that negotiations with the United
Mine Workers looking toward a settlement
OF the strike are at an end. A telegram
was received from President John Mitchell
today rejecting the last arbitration pro-
posal of the mine owners
The operators in their proposal offered to
increased wages, but also the open shop
the system of collection of duels by employ
ers and the fixing of differentals between
pick and machine mining.
Plans are being made by the operators
to send a delegation to Washington to ask
President Roosevelt to take immediate
action to end the strike in the bltuminou'
fields. According TO present plans fifty
or more coal operators, representing the
bituminous district OF Missouri. Kansas
Arkansas, Indian Territory. Illinois, In
diana and Ohio, will call on the president