Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-31

coal company and fuel purchasing
agent for the Illinois Central railroad.
Leaders Courage Thrills Miners.
Leaping to his feet, Mr.. Parker
pointed his finger at Mitchell and
cried:
Eyes, and l have seen the time when
you, Mr.. Mitchell, were glad that was
a railroad official"
What do you mean?" shouted
Mitchell in the midst of an uproar.
Il mean that you accepted transpor.
tation from me-" replied Mr.. Parker.
His face flushed with excitement
the leader of the miners drew himself
up to his full height, raised his hand
above his head, and in voice tremb-
ling with emotion said:
II deny positively that statement. I
defy you to produce the evidence.
That is an infamous and untruthful
statement and demand that you eth
er produce evidence to prove your as
sertion or withdraw it. In the name of
these miners here who have trusted
me for years as their leader, I insist
on proof"
Ten minutes OF bitter wrangling fol-
lowed, during which Chairman Traer
endeavored to preserve order. Miners
jumped up all over thu hall and cried
with Mitchell that the charge was un-
true
Charge Explained Amid Cheers.
Eventually the transportation mat.
ter was explained by W.,D. Ryan, sec.
rotary of the. Illinois miners, and
Mitchell's sclose friend, and by, Mr..
Parker, Ryan saying he had solicited
1t himself without Mitchell's knowl-
edge and taking the blame for the ac-
ton.
At this the hall rang with shouts for
Mitchell and during the noise Mr.. Par.
ker offered the explanation that he
meant to cast no suspicion on the
personal integrity Of the miners
leader
Except for this bit of excitement
the last session of the convention was
gloomy one. The conviction that
peace was impossible was entertained
by both operators and miners when
they took seats in the hall early in
the afternoon. The miners conven.
ton had met in the morning and voted
to stand pat on the demands for an
increase in wages. That the strike
was inevitable was realized by all.
There remained only the formalities
of winding up the discussion, taking a
last vote, and parting.
End Of Conference Is Dramatic.
Gradually as the end approached
the employers and their men, under
the spell of feeling, grew quiet. The
debate Jagged. The convention set.
tied into state of inaction. There
were no arguments to be presented,
and If there had been neither side felt
like continuing the long session. With
one accord both sides seemed to turn
toward a strike. They set their faces
for the inevitable, each waiting for
the other to make the move that
would end the nervous tension of the
closing moments.
Finally Mr.. Winder of the operators
rose and moved the previous question.
1t required upon President Mitchell's
resolution that the miners be granted
a restoration of the 1903 mining scale.
Chairman Traer instructed Secretary
Wilson to call the roll.
A. j. Moorshead, for the Illinois op-
orators, voted mo" He was followed
by Ohio and Indiana, operators Of each
of these states casting a similar vote.
For Pennsylvania, Francis L. Robbins
voted aye" George A. Magoon, for
the independent" Pennsylvania op-
orators, entered protest in behalf of
those interests.
Hope Dashed In Four Words.
Then came the miners. Each state
in turn voted AYE" with Mr.. Roberts.
"The motion is lost announced Sec
rotary Wilson, simply.
That was the end of the peace nego-
tiations.
There was an interval of a few min
utes while operators conferred regard
ing the nature Of the adjournment mo-
ton. Some favored adjournment sub
ject to the call of the chairman. Mr..
Winder was steadfast in his conten-
ton that the convention should adj
journ sine die. At length this plan
was agreed upon and was adopted by
the unanimous vote Of the meeting.
Rain was drizzling slowly outside
tlC ud1I 90 INC luOh ulSu Oul. Inc Op-
orators buttoned their coats closely
about them and jumped into carriages
in waiting. The miners, turning up
their collars, walked away through the
rain in groups of two and three They
chatted low among themselves. One
grizzled miner spied wagon passing
loaded with birch canoes and added a
little spirit to the dullness of the occa-
sion.
| It'll soon be fishing time" he re.
marked, lightly, which was greeted
with half hearted laugh from his
comrades.
No Sign of Bittc;. Feeling.
There was no evidence of bitter
feeling last night around either min
ers' or operators headquarters. In
the hotel lobbies the mine owners and
miner leaders who have fought in the
| convention for the last two weeks COS