The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-15
final EFFORT.
United Mine Workers of Amer,
lea Meet in Convention
To See If a Strike on april !
Can Be Prevented.
A JOINT CONFERENCE.
Operators Are Invited to Again
Talk Over Situation.
A Compromise Has Been Sug-
gested Since Previous Meeting.

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. March 15.@The
national convention of the United
Mine Workers of America. opened at
10 o'clock today In the German
house, with over /. 900 delegates pres
ent representing 1851 locals. The
convention has Leen called by Presi-
dent Mitchell to consider action
which may result in an agreement
with the coal operators that VIII pre-
vent a general strike on April that
would bring 425.900 men from the
mines. The conference with the ops-
rators will begin here Monday next.
When the lass convention of the
mine workers adjourned February 2,
following soint conference s>5th til
operators which had failed to arrive
at q wage agreement strike on ApliI
I was inevitao.e unless something
should intervene. A that conven-
uOn, which assembled January 6, the
miners had demanded an increase in
wages of - = per cent, the admission
Of the southern states, "a Z Fer cent.
diferential between machiue and pick
mining, a 123a per cent. advance for
yardase and dead work, proht5ition OF
employment Of boys under 16 years
of age. an eight-hOur day, a one year
contract and a run OF mine basis
The miners also adopted a resolu-
tion offered by Mr. Ryan. OF Illinois,
that no district should sign a wage
agreement until all the districts signed.
TINS action. known as the Ryan ~eso-
luton, VIII come before the convention
1cr action Unless IT is rescfnded the
E1tur1inOus miners cannot sign a wage
agreement until the anthracits miners
Sign an agreement with their oper-
atrrs.
The operators. on the other hard.
demanded a reduction Of from ID 10
- per cent, protection against sta,n-
e Dsoe strlkes and better system uf
aoSi'l2a tlng local troubles.
The Dolan Trouble.
C'u February the Join; ron -er,,
ad7ourned after the defeat of a mo-
non that the present wage scale he
continued. This motion was onered
~ -at- - II Hohbins df Pfttsburg. +
"iio was present spokesman for the
operators All OF the operators vofaT
Tor the motion except the Illinois a.
e4atofs Who did not vote, and all the
lI.lteI4 Voted against the motion esx-
Cepl Fatr1ek DOlan, who as prasI
cent OF the district voted the western
EenhsyiNania miners for the rnotio,,
Ele mas since been deposed from oflca
rs refused to resign. His case
ton. eN'ilF FSAl-
At the former convention the miners
euoptea a motion to provide by assess-
lHehl Tor a strike fund which vvof7Id
DFlng the amount in the several t,oe-
uiIes OF the miners to SIS 600 000 rT5,5s
matter was then left to the naft nal - ~
ecutive board iiell sA-
since the adjournment of the former
NenLion and joint conference Prssi- !
4ehl mitchell has conferred with Mr.
f. L. Robbins and other leaders (f -
operators and following the recen+fo57
OF letter from President Roosevelt -
1850, 1850 70 g. DoIn MIR. Robbins and Mr.
l- -'--eSll9l- 1le miners president called the +
N-A- SAltI0H ana the operators were % H. /
cd FOR Joint conference. It was a.
-ouliceQ az the time the call was Issued (
tnaI Mr. Robbins and other operafore {
@ @llaL Hlade an ofter 70 restore the yvaare
scale OF two years ago which wtfsld e.
an increase Of 5.5 per cent over tl,s
present scale ei7
Sinee the publication of that offer on
alots or indiana Illinois, Ohio and
other states interested have or,,oqs7 ~, f
granting Of any Increase whatever II
mas been the understanding among min I
eIs oHlciais that the organization would /
accept the restoration OF the vVse-s
scale Of two years ago.
s,,.e-l-l men i tne conventioa net today diff /
1e1ehces tnat have appeared to exist be-
s"Fsn PRESIDENT Mitchell and Vice Presi- I
dent Lewis were apparently 1afd aside
aEQ ll was the expressed wish of both
oillelals lhat personal matters should +
not Interfere with the more ir744orfart
work of the convention I'm Ordel. +T3a+
sle miners might present a united front F
The first business of the couvenfion
was me work OF organization and tins
greater part of the day was tatcan nm
VAIN credentials Of the delegates.
NlitcheHs Address.
In opening the convention President F
Mitchell spoke as follows:
I'm formally declaring this eonven- T
tlon open for the transaction of business /
ST may uot be amiss-indeed fl seems +
-l--~ 4
principal incidents and causes which f
prompted the call for this extraordinary /
meeting of the United Mine Workers .
or america; and i'm addition thereto (
make some suggestions for your guild +
ailcH winch may facilitate the work of +
the convention and / hope prove hefDfllf +
~ re-esta blfshing our relations with 4
the operators upon a basis which will t
pe JUST TO tnem, reasonably satisfactory
10 the great constituency we reDrasent /
ana at the same time properly consider
are or tEe welfare of the entire country I
whose interests can not be disregarded /
with impunity by any class of citizens.
regardless of its strength or influence
While in New York attending meet I
lnes o. the anthracite committee ap- +
pointed by the Snan okfn convention
neid on December IA report of which
was submitted at our annual convention {
first by accident and then by arrange
ment, 7 met and held several confer
ences with Mrs r. IL Robbins 77ras
ident of the Pittsburg Coal company.
and subsequently, with other operators.
prominent participants in our last joint
conventions. AT those conferences the
questions OF our disagreement upon the
wage scale was discussed in an informal
way also held conferences with sew
eral Of the leading and active workers
in our own movement so that / might /
inform myself more fully as to the I
status Of affairs I'm the various parts of
the country so far as it affected the IN {