Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-18
Great Question Before Them Is
The Proposed Increase in
Their Wages.
FOR FEDERAL REGULATION.
Cherry, ILL.,, Disaster Has Given New
Impetus to Movement in
Favor of It,

indianapolis, Jan. 1S.-The annual
convention of United Mine Workers of
North America. which was opened at
Tomlinson hall In this city today prac-
tically is devoted to the interests OF
the thousands OF men that labor in the
immense bituminous coal fields OF the
country which stretch from West
Virginia and central Pennsylvania
northwest to British Columbia and
southwest to Texas and Oklahoma.
The anthracite miners of Penn
sylvania are sparsely represented in
the convention because they have no
wage scale to negotiate with the minc
owners at this time, but all the BIZ
luminous miners are deeply concerned
In a proposed deal for an increase of
their wages.
II Is improbable that the convention
VIII continue longer than IL days be-
cause Joint conference between the
miners representatives and the opera
tors of Pennsylvania, Ohio and In
diana, to consider the new wage con-
tract is scheduled for Feb. l. at
Toledo. The miners and operators
organizations OF the other states Will
hold individual conferences.
The disaster at Cherry, Ill, has
given new impetus to the movement
for federal regulation of mines and this
matter Will only be second in impor-
tance to the question of wages In the
convention. President Lewis will Wig
orously press his campaign for the
institution of a government bureau of
mines and mining.
1t is generally conceded that the re-
port OF the tellers of the recent bal
loting for officers will show the re-
election of MIR. Lewis as president. over
A. M. Green of Ohio, his opponent Ed
win Perry, the secretary treasurer, had
no rival for the office. E, S. McCul-
Tough, the vice president, it was pre-
sumed today, had been defeated by
Frank ]. Hayes of Ill
The Socialists steadily have gained
ground in the organization and are
expected to be active in the convention,
In last years assembly they succeed
ed in putting through a resolution for
government ownership of public utili-
ties. This faction, led by John Walker
of Illinois. is bitterly opposed TO the
conservative policy OF President Lewis
and his supporters --. -.
GOV. MARSHALL;S WELCOME
II hope and expect to see an en-
ployers' liability act that win provide
that all injuries to employees. under
whatever conditions of contributory
negligence. shall be paid for by the
corporations" said Gov Thomas r..
Marshall today, in Tomlinson hall, in
a speech OF welcome to the delegates
to the twenty-flrst annual convention
of the United Mine Workers of
America.
Il believe 1t better that the cor
| porations should pay set price for
an employees injury or death than to
| be the prey, as they are now, of the
| ambulance chasers." continued the
| governor
| In a semi-humorous address Samuel
Lewis Shank mayor of Indianapolis.
! warned the miners that II they eX-
pected to take drink' on next sun
| day in Indianapolis, they must buy II
on Saturday. He had been elected to
administer the laws and he proposed
| TO do so. he said, and turning to the
| governor, he added:
| "And 81 Governor Marshall would
| enforce the laws now on the statute
| books there could not be in Indiana a
| disaster in any degree proportionate
to that at Cherry. Ill"
| Representative of the commercial
! and labor organizations of the city
! and ministers OF several churches also
welcomed the delegates.
Thomas l. Lewis president OF the
| mines union. responded to the ad'
| dresses of welcome.