Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-07-21
MINERS UNION
FALLING OFF
Membership in Anthracite District
No. I Decreases 1924
MITCHELL DELIVERS ADDRESS

Scranton. Pa. July IA serious
decrease In the membership was Re.
ported at the annual convention Of
district No. / OF the United Mine
Workers which opened in Carbonate
with President John Mitchell in the
chair The report OF Secretary-Treas.
urer Dempsey showed that the mem.
bership of the district on June 80 last
was 1890. a decrease Of 1O.244 as com.
pared with June 80 Of last year There
are 1GS locals in the district. The
average membership during the year
1905 was 22.5l2. and 1t rose 10 32s29
during the year. while just before tho
suspension this year the membership
was 44,627. During the year there
were three new locals organized, one
reOrganized and four lapsed The to
tai receipts were S39.30324. and OK.
pendiures $2651o07
4 caucus was held by a number OF
delegates who are in favor OF reduc
Ing the expenses OF the district. and
viii submit a model TO the convention
70 reduce ,he number OF organizers
from TO 4 and 90 reduce the salar.
les Of the other officials. They are
strenuous In their demand for econ.
omy. and it looks as If they viii have
a strong lollowine IN the convention
President Mitchell. in response 10
repeated demands addressed the con.
vention and said In part:
"Since my last meeting with you the
organization has passed through its
greatest industrial struggle. and while
the men in the bituminous field. like
their workers I'm the anthracite region.
did not secure an that they asked for.
yet great success attended their efforts.
and the organization finds itself enjoy
Ing better conditions than ever before
10 is my earnest hope and my firm be-
lief that the mine workers have seen
their worst days. and that from now
on they may Look for better conditions
generally ! must say now that the
hope OF the anthracite workers. in fact
an workers must depend in a large de-
gree uron th.ir own efforts. Better
WAGES shorter hours and improved con-
ditions win not come 20 YOU on a silver
plate. You VIII receive them only when
you struggle Tor them.
II am not srre that I can continue
this work fcg many years. but I have
reached the ,Crc'us!Cl that So does not
matter II one man drops ont. but Il Is
of paramount Importance that the men
be true 20 themselves. Your fathers
We're miners you are miners. and your
children viii Doe miners. The great
number viii be workers and should
strive not as individuals but as a class;
not for one man TO raise himself up az
the expense Of others. am not deferred
by those failures but I have learned
10y experience that like my predeccs-
sors. ] may pass away without reaching
the solution. What we hope 90 do Is
20 make life easier. 20 tighten the bur
dens that must be borne. that the men
and children OF the miners receive a
little more az the wealth they produce.
but OF greater Importance that they
develop intellectually. that their home
life he more cheerful. and that they
be uptJcd generally. II has always
been and viii always be- my ambition
90 sec the mine workers of America
improve their conditions. their children
advanced and 20 uplift them as q
class"