Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-03-16
Nine WORKERS
ARE IN CONVENTION
Over One Thousand Delegates
In Attendance.
1851 LOCALS ARE REPRESENTED
Convention Was Called to Consider Ac.
ton Which May Result In an Agree
ment with Coal Operators Prevent
ing a General Strike.

ment with Coal Operators Prevent
ing General Strike.
Indianapolis, March 15.-The nation
al convention of the United Mine
Workers of America opened at 10 a. m
Thursday in the German house with
over 1000 delegates, representing / ,4Gl
locals.
The convention had been called by
President Mitchell to consider action
which may result in an agreement witt
the local operators preventing a gener
al strike April l.
At the convention which assembled
January 16, the miners demanded an
increase in wages of 121a per cent, the
admission of the southwestern states,
a z per cent differential between ma
chine and pick mining, a 125 per cent
advance for yardage and dead work,
prohibition of employment of boys un-
der 1G years of age, an eight-hour day,
a one-year contract and a run of mine
basis
The miners also adopted a resolution
offered by Mr.. Ryan, of Illinois, that
no district should sign a wage agree.
ment until all the districts signed. This
action known as the Ryan resolution,
will come before the convention for
action. Unless it is rescinded, the BIZ
luminous miners cannot sign a wage
agreement until the anthracite miners
sign an agreement with their opera
tors
The operators, on the other hand, de-
manded a reduction of from 10 to Is
percent protection against stampede
strikes, and better system of adju-
dicating local troubles.
On February 2, the joint conference
adjourned after the defeat of motion
that the present wage scale be contin-
ued. This motion was offered by Mr..
Robbins, of Pittsburg, who was prin-
cipal spokesman for the operators. All
of the operators voted for the motion
except the Illinois operators who did
not vote and all the miners voted
against the measure except Patrick
Dolan, who, as president of the dis
trict, voted the Western Pennsylvania
miners for the measure. He has since
been deposed from office, but has re-
fused to resign. His case will probably
come before the convention.
At the former convention the miners
adopted motion to provide by assess
ment for strike fund which would
bring the amount in the several treas
uries of the miners to $5,0O0,0 900. This
matter was then left to the national ex-
ecutive board.
Since the adjournment of the former
convention and joint conference, Pres
ident Mitchell has conferred with F. L..
Robbins and other leaders of the oper-
ators and following the receipt of a
letter from President Roosevelt, ad-
dressed to both Mr. Robbins and Mr.
Mitchell, the miners president, called
this convention and the operators were
called for joint conference.
1t was announced at the time the
call was issued that Mr.. Robbins and
other operators had made an offer to
restore the reduction of three years
ago, which would be an advance of 5.5
per cent over the present scale.
Since the publication of that offer
operators of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and
other states interested, have opposed
any increase whatever.
The first work of the convention was
organization, and the greater part of
the day was taken up with credentials
of the delegates.