Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-15
NINE WORKERS
CONVENTION.
Opens in indianapolis With 1000
Delegates Present Represent
ing l,461 Locals.
OBJECT IS TO PREVENT STRIKE
II They Fail TO Agree With Operators,
425,000 Men May Go Ont
April I.

Indianapolis. Ind. March l5.---The
national convention Of the United
Mine Workers of America opened al
10 o'clock. with over 900 delegates
present representing 46t locals. Tho
convention has been called by Presi-
dent Mitchell to consider any questions
that may arise In an agreement with
the coal operators, that will prevent
a genera strike ON April | that would
bring 425. 900 men from the mines The
gin here Monday next. When the last
convention Of the mine workers adj
journed Feb. ., following a Joint con-
ference with the operators which had
failed to arrive at a wage agreement,
q strike was ordered on April /, unless
something should intervene At that
convention, which assembled Jan. 16
the miners had demanded an Increase
In wages Of l2la per cent the admis-
sion OF the southwestern states.
per cent difterential between machine
and pick mining, a 1874 per cent adj
vance for yardage and deadwork. pro-
hibition OF employment Of boys under
Ii years old an eight-hour day, one
year contract and run OF mine basis
The miners also adopted a resolu-
ton offered by Mr.. Ryan Of Illinois
that no district should sign wage
agreement until all the districts sign
ed. This action, known az the Ryan
resolution. will come before the con-
vention for consideration. Unless II Is
rescinded the bituminous miners cam
not sign a wage agreement until the
anthracite miners sign an agreement
with their operators.
The operators, on the other hand,
demanded a reduction OF from 10 60
Is per cent protection against sympa-
thetic strikes and a better system OF
adjudicating local troubles
on Feb. 2, the conference adjourned
after the defeat Of a motion that the
present wage scale be continued. This
motion was offered by Mr.. T.. l.. Rob
bins, OF Pittsburg, who was the spokei-
man for the operators. All Of the on
orators voted for the motion except
the Illinois operators, who did not vote
and all the miners voted against the
motion except Patrick Dolan who as
president OF the district voted tho
western Pennsylvania miners for the
motion, He has since been deposed from
office, but has refused 10 resign Al
the former convention the miners
adopted n motion to provide by assess
ment for a strike fund which would
bring the amount IN the several treas.
ures Of the miners to 100000. This
matter was then left to the national
executive board.
Since the adjournment Of the former
Ill. -.
dent Mitchell has conferred with Mr.
F. l.. Robbins and other leaders Of the
operators, following the reception OF a
letter from President Roosevelt ad.
dressed to both Mr.. Robbins and Mr.
Mitchell. II was decided by Mr, Rob
bins and other operators to make an
Offer to restore the wage scale ~ two
years ago, which would be an Increase
OF SO per cent over the present scale,
However, the opera tors OF Indiana, HI
nois. Ohio and other states have op-
posed the granting Of any increase
whatever Il nay he the understanding
among the miners Of this district that
the organization would accept tho res
toration OF the wage scale OF two years
ago
when the convention met today the
differences that have appeared to OK
is petWeeh iIeslucliN mltNHtH anu 10"
President Lewis were apparently laid
aside, and VIII not be allowed to in
terfere with the most important work
OF the convention, that the miners
might present a united front.
The frat business Of the convention
was the work Of organization and the
greater part OF tho day was taken up
with credentials % the delegates.
When the credentials committee had
concluded It's report, the reading o.