Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-17
| MINERS CONVENTION MEETS
President Mitchell AnsounCes Satisfactory
Progress in Anthracite Wage Scale.
SECRETARY wilson's ANNUAL REPORT
strikes Durins Year Were Costly aud
Expenses Exceed the Income
over Two Hundred Thou
sand Dollars.

! INDIANAPOLIS Ind, Jan. 16.-Presi-
dent John Mitchelrs announcement this
| afternoon that satisfactory progress Is
being made toward conference between
the mine workers and the operators Of
| the anthracite region" drew round after
| round of applause from 200 delegates
assembled In Tomlinson hall for the seven
| teenth convention of the United Mine
| Workers of America. which began this
| morning. This announcement was made
in the course OF the presidents annual
| report and address almost as an incidental
remark. There was no further explanation
| in regard to the anthracite situation from
President Mitchell but the word of their
chief was enough. and when, few
minutes later. delegates came in from the
streets with a rumor that President
Thomas of the Lehigh Valley company
| was reported to have said that the anthra-
cite operators had agreed to hold a con-
ference with the committee appointed by
the mine workers in their Shamoltn con-
vention the enthusiasm knew no bounds.
| When Mr.. Mitchell had finished reading
| his report Vice President Thomas L.
Lewis, who had presided during the read
! ing OF the presidents report, called A. d.
| Fairee, national executive board member
! from Alabama. to the chair and Mr.. Fair
! lee announced the report of the vice presi-
dent.
| The report of Vice President Lewis told
| of the work of the organization, which has
| proceeded during the year just ended at
| tremendous pace and also gave glimpses
Of his connection with the adjustment of
many difficulties which arose during the
year In widely separated parts of the coun-
| try co -Trea a,,rar
gave the statistics of the organization in
| full and is a remarkable showing of the
| wonderful strength and vitality of the
united mine workers.
Addresses of welcome were made by
Governor Hanly on behalf of the state:
Theodore Perry. president of the Central
| labor union, In behalf of Indianapolis
union labor, and Alfred Potts president
OF the Commercial club. in behalf of
Indianapolis institutions
Mayor Bookwalter's letter. welcoming
the miners to the city, was read.
Though the preliminary work OF the con-
vention, which pressed closely upon the
addresses was long. the delegates re-
NAMED in their seats and showed great in
terest. The report of the credentials COM
rnittee seating the delegates showed that
1,461 local unions were represented.
Union is Growing.
Mr.. Mitchell in his address said that
Notwithstanding Opposition of open foes
and processing friends" there had been
a substantial increase in the numerical
strength OF the organization, the paid I'D
membership having passed the 300. 900 mark
The gain in the anthracite field was Al, ST..
President Mitchell said the committee ap-
pointed at the Shamokin (Pa.) conferences
to confer with representatives of the COM
panies for the purpose OF formulating an
agreement was making satisfactory prog
RES. He called attention to the increase
In machine mined coal to 2S7S per cent OF
the total production and urged that stren-
uous efforts be made to establish a fixed
dinerential. The executive board he said. !,
had prepared bill for presentation to
state legislators. the object of which is to
provide for the examination of persons
seeking employment In mines and so
prevent the employment OF incompetent
men. The bill presented in congress for
the creation of government bureau of
mines was Endorsed in the address
! Drafting New Wage Scale.
Mr. Mitchell, in speaking of the policy to
be pursued by the miners in the coming
Joint: conference with the coal operators,
saidi
am conscious OF the fact that more than
ordinary significance attaches to anything
J may say as to the policy we should pur-
sue when We meet the operators in Joint
PRESENT tme es %Sea Is this true at the
the miners of practically the entire country
Will soon be released of contract obligations
ana tnat they and their employers will be
compelled In the event OF q disagreement
70 nnd some other means Of adjusting their
In connection with this subject IL NAV
not be amiss to review briefly the history
OF the recent past.
You Will recall the depression I'm the coal
trade in the fall and winter of 1903 which
culinlnated in reduction of wages in the
spring OF 1904 The adverse conditions pre-
vailing at that time continued during the
year 1904. and even up to the spring OF 1906
From that time on there was a gradual i'm
has continued until the present and IL the
ACTIVITY In the iron market in the railroad
industrial and commercial affairs of the
country Is any barometer by which future
conditions may be forecasted, the prospect
OF continued prosperity in the mining In
recognize the fact that there Is little
sentiment and no philanthropy In the deter
mination OF our general wage agreements
however, II appears to me that inasmuoh as
we gave relief to our employers by accept
ing lower rate OF wages at a time when
there was little demand for coal, and when
prices were falling below a profitable mar
gin, they should reciprocate and voluntarily
share with us their present and prospective
prosperity, and | recommend that the scale
committee take these facts into considera-
tton In the formulation Of its report"
Sources of Opposition.
In the opening paragraph of this report
reference was made to the obstacles we
have encountered In the work of organiza-
ton. Lest our language be misunderstood
when we speak of open foes and profess
ing friends" desire, even at the risk of
giving offense and inviting controversy to
say that we have been attacked from two
sources which one would expect TO be dia-
| nietrically opposed.
| First, We have had the intense opposition
of the Parry-Post aggregation of union
Wreckers who have antagonized every EFFORT
We have made to organize the union fields
OF the country, especially the Erwin, Con-
nellsville and Meyersdale districts of Penn
sylvania, the Georges Creek district of
Maryland, the state of Colorado and the
two Virginias.
Second We have been opposed with equal
: vigor-although with different weapons-by
. | an organization styling itself the Industrial
workers of the world. and by it's principal
AFFILIATED body. the Western Federation of
Miners.
The recognized spokesman OF these or
CARNATIONS profess real solicitude for the
, welfare OF the coal miners; they seek To
convey the impression that the coal miners
are so densely ignorant that they are
unable TO conduct their AFFAIRS OF success
fully TO manage an organization of their
! own choice. Indeed. these self-constituted