Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-03
MINERS WILL STRIKE
Six Hundred Thousand Coal Diggsr Will
Quit Work April l.
JOINT CONFERENCE UNABLE TO AGREE
Proposal Of Operators to Renew 0.d Con-
tract Again Refused.
DIVISION AMONG MINERS DELEGATES
Dolan Of Pittsburg CASTS Vote of His State
for Proposition.
VISION AMONG MINERS DELEGATES
ACTION ALMOST PRovoKls A RIOT
PcnnsyIvania Delegates Meet In ATT
ernoon and Rcpudiate His Vote
dramatic scenes in the
Meetings.

Meetings.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. Feb. c-One OF
the most dramatic scenes ever witnessed in
the national convention of the United Mine
workers OF America was the final adjourn
ment OF that body this afternoon after the
dissolution OF the joint conference of opel-
tors and miners of the central and south
western districts and after the national
convention had administered a stinging re-
buke to one of the oldest officers OF the or
ganization for transgrcssing one of the
fundamental laws Of unionism in voting
contrary to his instructions to stand for an
increase in wages.
Almost the entire session of the miners
convention this afternoon was taken up by
a discussion of the action OF President Pat
rick Dolan Of District 8 In casting the vot"
Of tho Pittsburg district in favor of accept
ing the proposal Of the operators OF the
central competitive district which was sub
mttcd to the miners on the floor of the
Joint conference this morning. Resolutions
looking to the dismissal from membership
OF President Dolsn another calling for his
resignation and last providing that the
matter be submitted to the miners Of Dis
trict for action were the subject Of
acrimonious debate. Following Il caucus OF
the delegates from District ., during which
a resolution was adopted condcmnng Pres
ident Dolan and Vice President Bellingham
for their action in casting the vote OF the
district contrary to their instructions the
resolutions were laid on the table and tn,
convention adjourned sine die on motion or
Delegate Haskins Of Ohio
Miners Adjourn sine Die
When the lusty voices OF the miners
mingled in the singing Of america" had
hushed an oppressive silence fell upon tho
assembled delegates, and as President John
Mitchell slowly pronounced the words which
adjourned the seventeenth annual conven-
tion without day, thus dssolving every
hope of averting giant Industrial war
without the intervention of some unex-
pected and powerful influence, the miners
marched out OF the hall, their faces set
with grim determination which showed
the stoadfastness of purpose which has
marked the historx x-malssns session jps;
closed. FqfSl .ty sas' 3 9
The apparent determination OF both oper-
ators and miners indicates that neither
will make overtures for further negotia-
tions and unless some influence, which is
now not forseen steps into the breach
5000 men controlled by the United Mine
Workers will walk out of the mines in
There have been intimatons that two
ngencies-the president of the United States
and the National Civic Federatlon-may be
appealed to to set I'm motion negotiations
looking to a rehabilitation OF the Joint
state agreement, or at least discussion
of some possible means Of bringing the
operators and miners together for further
negotiations
Perhaps the most significant statements
made by President Mitchell during any
session Of the present convention were
made this afternoon. first in his admonition
to all tho miners that each individual make
preparations 10 establish a strike fund
which will make each miner self-sustaining
for at least a reasonable length Of time
and again when IN answer to the question
of delegate who wished to be enlightened
as 10 the correct sense of the resolution
adopted yesterday he said: The resou-
tion adopted yesterday is capable of no
two INTERPRETATIONS and a the proper time
all such questions will be answered.
Mitchell Discusses situation.
During an interview this afternoon. Pres
ident John Mitchell discussed some OF the
phases of the situation
Never in the history of this country
has a strike of such far-reachlng effect
been threatened" said Mr. Mitchell. "lt
means a national suspension Of mining if
the strike comes the expiration Of
our mining contracts. March 81. and il in
| cludcs the anthracite districts"
"Will this action OF the miners. incud-
ing the anthracite districts. in order that
no contracts shall be signed until ell oh
tain agreements, have any effect on tho
meeting of the anthracite miners and oper-
ators on February 1872
! IT don't know at this time" he said.
! "Wil you meet the anthracite operators
at that timer
! Yes" he replied, that is the plan at
this time and no changes have been made
! in the plans"
Six Hundred Thousand Men Affected.
| According to the figures given out BY
! the national officers of the miners organ
! ization, they expect this strike to bring
out over 10000 men, about 10000 nom
| union miners I'm West Virginia and Penn
| sylvania, with the $4,000 union miners.
OF this number about 10000 will be out
! in the anthracite districts, $500 in the
| Pennsylvania bituminous districts, 5000 In
Ohio, l7OO0 in Indiana 5000 in Illinois. 100
| in Iowa, $1,000 in West Virginia, 1000 in
Michigan and approximately $4,000 in Kan
sas. Missouri, Texas, Indian Territory and
| Arkansas The states enumerated will ba
the scene Of the greater part of the battle.
| Mr., Mitchell said that never in the his
! tory OF this country was there an organiza-
| tion that could call out 20 many men In one
| strike, having such widespread effect. lie
said
THE prosperous condition of the country
warrants an increase for the miners. We
, accepted a decrease by our own votes two
/ years ago when at the time we were con
vinced that the conditions OF the country
/ demanded II. We have ever been ready 90
I stand right and we stand right now"
| President Mitchell estimated that four
people are dependent every miner On
| this estimate a national strike. as planned.
will affect over 2.c00O0O people dependent on
! the mining industry for their daily bread.
! The dollar assessment would raise ap-
proximately s25OO.OO0 national treasury
| funds by April /. This organization now
J has in cash In It's national district, subdis-
tricts and local treasures .2S7s,lsisR The