Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-04
JOHN MITCHELL SILENT
The Question Before the Convention
Will Either Strengthen or Weaken
Him as a Labor Leader.
WITH TWO FIGHTS ON HIS HANDS
Mr.. Mitchell Is Keenly Alive
TO the Gravity of the
Crisis.
FUTURE OF THE UNION IS INVOLVED
Associated rrea Dispatch W special wIr,l

Associated Press Dispatch by Special Wires
Scranton. Pa May i.-Thcro seems hut
slight hope for peaceful settlement of tho
controversy in the anthracite coal field
A large number of the delegates to tho
United Mine Worbors' Convention ox-
press the opinion that strike is their
only alternative A decision is looked
for today, or tomorrow 40 the least.l
President Mitchell is ondcavoring 10 hndi
way of obviating extreme measures,
and although he Is roticcnt concerning the
report that the final decision may be by
referendum vote. Il Is said tho delegates
/ are seriously considering that method.
John Fahy is the only district president
who has said that he regards the releren-
dunn vote as a likely way TO permit the
workmen themselves To vote for or against
a strike William Dottrey does not APP
prove the method He says the delegates
are empowered to vote for their locals
and they had every opportunity during
the past month 20 feel the pulse of tho
workers
President Mitchell and the leaders
realize that the question before the con
vcntion not only involves the future OF
the United Mine Workers as an organi-
zation. but that it viii either strengthen
or weaken John Metchell as a labor leader.
With the hituminous fight on his hands,
as we'll az the anthracite problem, Mr.
Mitchell is keenly alive to the gravity Of
the crisis.
Fahy and Dettrey, the presidents Of the
SchuyllIill and Lehigh districte, are out
spoken in favor of a strike and they voice
the feeling of the delegates from their
locals. who are wrought up over the shoot
ing hy the State police at Mt. Carmel and
the Reading mounted patrols about tho
roads Of these districts.
President Mitchell gave much time this
morning TO the consideration Of corre-
spondence received ia the morning mail
He said nothing had developed which
would have any bearing on the present
attitude of the delegates, and ho'did not
seem 20 have any immediate hope Of any
thing that would make foB,epeaceiul OUT
come Of their deliborationa
The convention waa prupnpf fn nasemb-
ling, the delegates being ln their places
when District Presidenf Nichols called
them to order, at 10 o'dock. Immedi-
ately distribution was made Of printed
copies Of the corTespondonco between the
miners scale committee and tho opern-
tors, and when this wns completed presi-
dent Mitchell took the gayel and the con-
] NNnNlNn MNilN AAAN NNNA0NANA ANNaAAAA 49,"
morning was occupied with tho presenta-
ton OF the views Of the individual dele
gates, this being the plan adopted by
President Mitchell and the anthracite
district presidents in all the gatherings
which have heretofore qeen held by them.
In the letter Of the scale committee
submitting tho report was the following
significant paragraph:
oIf it is true-and we believe it is--that
tho operators have made their final pro-
position, there Is nothing left for US 10 do
but to accept for a period of three years
a renewal OF the award of the Anthracite
Coal Strike Commission, or the conditional
end restricted method Of arbitration pro-
posed by the operators, or TO strike until
we secure better conditions than are now
offered by our employers"
In bis verbal report yesterday Mr.. Nit
chell did not place the alternative Of ac-
cepting the three-year award before the
convention. Il is possible that the lead
ers Of the conservative element will advo-
cate the adoption Of this course.
The convention at ll,45 O'Clock adj
jomned until 500 this afternoon, without
any decisive action having been takon.