The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-04
Sentiment VERY STRONG
FOR HARD COAL STRIKE
PRACTICALLY ALL DELEGATES
TO THE MINERS CONTEN~
TION FOR ONE.

Nothing Short of Miracle, 1t Seems,
Can Prevent iL--MitcheII Uses the
Word "striker for the First Time
Since Present Negotiations Started
Matter Likely to be Decided To-day
or TO-mOrrow-FeeIing of Miners In
tensifled by the Mount Carmel AFFAIR.
Scranton, Pa, May 8.-To-day's ses-
sions of the miners tri-district con-
vention were improbable. except in so
far as they revealed that the sentiment
of practically all of the 900 delegates
in attendance is for strike. Tonight
it is believed that nothing short of
miracle can prevent a strike being de-
clared, either tomorrow afternoon or
Saturday.
Ait the conclusion of the afternoon
session President Mitchell made
statement, in the course of which he
used the word strike" for the first
time since the present negotiations be-,
gan. Here is what he said to the news
paper men:
There is not much to say at this
time. AS was indicated while you We're
present at the opening Of the AFTER
noon session, the sentiment seems very
strong against accepting the conditions
and restricted arbitration scheme pro-
pbsed by the operators, or renewing the
award of the anthracite coal commits
sion for a period of three years. The
strike feeling has been intensified by
the unfortunate and unjustihable action
of the state constalbulary at Mount
Carmel. as well as their conduct IN
other parts of the coal regions since the
suspension went into effect. Ot course
1t cannot be stated positively what the
vote will be. That will not be known
until Friday afternoon or Saturday
The morning session of the conven-
tion was held in the main court room
of the court house, and was purely
formal.
president Mitchell was loudly ap-
nlauded when he entered the room. He
was unanimously elected chairman.
District President T, D. Nichols Of Dis
trict No. / was elected secretary, but
ne Withdrew in favor of J r. Gala
cher, Of district No Z After the Gre
dentials had been taken up the con-
yention adjourned until afternoon.
Az the opening Of the afternoon ses-
sion the credentials committee made
its report, which was adopted. Then
Mr.. Mitchell made brief speech in lieu
of the report of the joint scale commit
. tee which report had been sent to the
printers.
He briefly reviewed the negotiations
in so far as they have progressed and
said the committee had perhaps gone
even further than it should have gone,
in endeavoring to bring about a peace
full settlement of existing difficulties.
He told of the propositions made by
both sides, and then said
aWe have offered to arbitrate all the
demands we made upon them, or, in
other words, we have offered to arbi-
trate the differences between us, either
through the board of arbitration with
.Ill0R6 tIIdN DIS ClldlAiAicNAAg Vi tAAAO0eoAA
the anthracite strike commission. We
have made the reservation, however,
that 1t must be a full commission, not a
part of it.
THAT, gentlemen, is the status Of the
affairs at this time, and | am sure
voice the sentiment of every member
of the eommittee-the members of
which have worked In entire harmony
during these months I say that
we regret that we have not been able
to make a report that would be salts
factory to you. We regret that we have
mot been able to make a tentative
agreement that would secure for you
better wages and better conditions OF
employment"
A motion to adjourn was then made
and was discussed at some length. A
large majority of the delegates were
opposed to adjourning, and in express
ing their opposition they gave an in
sight into their feeling as regards a
strike. The delegate from Jermayn
said that neither he nor the men he
represented would go back under the
old conditions.
1--WE had better stay out" said he,
s'until we find some way of remedying
our grievances.
His speech was loudly applauded and
the next moment a delegate from Lu-
zerne county moved that the suspension
he turned into a strike. His motion
WIS not seconded, and then a motion to
80 into executive session was made and
adopted.
The convention remained in executive
session until o'clock, when an ad-
iournment was taken until Tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock, AS far as could
be learned, the discussion was purely
general. Strike talk prevailed al
through it.
Mr.. Mitchell denied tonight that he
had considered the matter of referring
the entire question to referendum vote
of the mine workers.
Denial from British Foreign Office.