The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-01-20

or the Mine Workers. He said he fell
that he was voicing the sentiments of all
OF the delegates in the convention when
ne sad that they Were deeply apprecia
i've OF what had been said by the various
speakers, and of the cordiaIity of the
welcome that had been extended to the
miners
lie said that twenty years ago last De.
ceiiiper there gathered in indianapolis
small party of mine workers, unknown
10 the world, and that in this city these
men laid the foundation of the United
Nine Workers of America uc touched
on the great men of Indiana, for which.
he said, the state was noted, and referred
to General Lew Wallace, Benjamin Har-
rison and James Whitcomb Riley.
IN touching on liberty of speech he
SAID that SO long as labor unions existed
they would insist not only on their right
10 say what they thought but would de-
mand the repeal of any law that inter
fered with that right He said that the
/ time was coming when the laborinp men
OF this country would not have to 90 to
| the legislative halls and beg on their
Knees Tor legislation to protect their lives
ana health, and that he believed the time
would come when Legislators would ask
them what they wanted This. he added.
would be brought about by organized eff
fort.
lie suggested that the representatives
of the churches and of commercial or
S'ihl@atlonS devote some time to Il study
OF labor conditions and labor problems
so shat they could assist in an amicablc
understanding being reached between en-.
ployer and cmploye. He referred to Gov
ernor Marshall and said that he wished
there were Governors like him in some
other states in the country.
t 5. j. Sullivan, of the Central Labor
oh1on, presided over the convention dur.
ing the addresses of welcome, and made
Il brief address in which he welcomed
the miners to the city. The Rev. J. c.
Day made the opening prayer
President Lewis assumed the chair af-
ter the addresses of welcome, and an
pointed John Fallon, Luke F. I,anham
Charles Gildea and II. !. Mcclure as ser
gcants- alarms.
Arrangements have been made suitably
to entertain the delegates to the conven-
tion during their presence in the city. NV
the Central Labor Union. These arranorc.
lnents include an entertainments in Tom
llnson hall Friday evening, January 21:
a banquet in Y. NJ. l. hall Tuesday eve
ming, January 25; a vaudeille entertain.
neht at the Empire theater Wednesday
hlSht, January 20; and a theater party
at the Colonial theater for the wives and
feminine relatives of the miners. In ad
dltlon to this, the miners will be the
guests of the indianapolis Ministerial As
sociation at the Saint Gaudens exhibition
at the John Heron Art Institute
About seventeen hundred credentials
nave been received, but q number of
these are Implications of names, as some
OF the delegates represent more than one
local union. According to officers of the
national organization, however, it is be-
lieved that there are about fifteen hun
dred delegates. One reason assigned for
the great number of delegates is the fact
that the members are showing an in
creased interest in the organization, and
another is that the organization has a
greater membership than for any previ-
Gus year in its history.
In combination with these NAV be tax
en- the fact that the matter of wages is
coming up at the convention and the
miners naturally have considerable inter
est in that subject
Wage contracts terminate March 81 in
all the bituninous mining districts of the
country, with the exception of the ex-
trenie western states. where contracts eS-
pre- in the middle of the summer and the
convention will outline plans to govern
all the mining districts in negotiating
new wage agreements Delegates to the
convention from various parts of the
country, chatting around the hotels where
they are making their headquarters are
apparently unanimous on the proposition
they are making their headquarters. are
that they should receive an increase in
wages. They express the opinion that
there will be some opposition on the
part of the operators. but further ex-
press the belief that it will be possible
to obtain increase without the need of
a strike.
Other matters of interest to come up
are the matter of better safety for the
miners in carrying on their work: the
strike in Nova Scotia, and, it is prob
able some plan that viii tend to increase
the strength and size of the organiza-