The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-09-23

three hundred coal miners-delegate
from Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and
Arkansas to the interstate convention
herewith smiles of victory on their
faces left room in the Orient Hotel,
where they received their expense
money Sunday and paid their hotel
bills to busy clerk. 1t was the first
positive evidence that the coal strike
was ended. The interstate conven-
tion of three hundred delegates rati-
fled the contract at $50 o'clock yes
terday afternoon.
The contract was ratified by the Mis-
souri, delegates-the last district to
ratify-at 4:90 o'clock yesterday aft
ernoon after discussion of about
seven hours. Immediately the dele
gates went to the interstate conven-
tion at Labor Temple and after a dis
cussion of more than two hours, the
convention voted to ratify the con-
tract. The miners will return to work
tomorrow morning at o'clock. 1t was
feared that all the miners could not be
notified in time to return to work this
morning.
| The new contract grants the miners
nearly every point they asked for when
they struck April 1. The miners said
last night that this was the best con-
tract that ever had been obtained
from the operators. They consider it
to be a great labor victory won with
out violence of any kind or without
breaking the law. The increase in
wages and the arbitration clause are
the features of the contract. The con-
tract specifies an increase of 5.55 per
cent on day work, dead work and
Iyardage; an increase of three cents
ton on blasted coal and five cents a
ton for pick work. The average
wages of a miner were SO a day under
the old contract The new contract
will increase the daily wages to about
1920 day
The clause about arbitration leaves
all disputes and strikes to an arbitra-
tor w. L. A. Johnson, labor commits
sioner of Kansas, was chosen by both
sides to fill this position and has ac.
cepted.
The new contract provides that the
operators shall pay penalty of 81 a
day to every miner in their employ for
every day they close down the mines
Except in case of accidents. The min.
ers' union is to pay the operators fifty
cents day for every miner for every
day the miners refuse to work and
shut down the mines. The penaliza-
tion clause is to be effective sixty
days after the expiration of the con.
tract.
The new contract will go to a com.
mittee from the operators association
and the presidents and secretaries OF
the three mine districts, which include
Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Okla.
homa, for final ratification this morn.
ing. The contract will be signed by
this joint committee and then it win
be printed in booklet form and a copy
sent to every miner and operator III
the four states. The contract will be
effective until April /, 1912
The strike was started April /, when
more than thirty thousand miners re.
fused to return to work because the
Operators would not grant them the In
crease they asked Since then numer-
Gus conventions have been held in
Kansas City in an effort to settle the
strike. Thomas L. Lewis. president
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea, was here more than a month in
conference with James Elliott, presi-
dent of the operators association, try
ling to frame a contract. Then the
miners became dissatisfied with the
slow progress and dilatory methods
of Lewis, so they appointed confer
ence committee to meet with a like
committee from the operators to draw
Iup contract.
Nearly three weeks ago this joint
committee finished the contract and
then it was submitted to the district
committees for their approval The
approval by the Missouri committee
yesterday afternoon ended that pro-
cess Although the strike has been a
long one and the miners have suffered
considerably, no show of violence or
any outbreaks were committed by the
miners. The miners who could not
get work were supplied with funds
every two weeks from the money furn-
ished by the national organization.