would be placed before the National Executive Board for their approval; and if they approved it, a strike would be called immediately after the National Executive Board meeting, October 5th. There was a telegram from an operator at Port Smith, Arkansas, to the effect that 500 union coal miners could get work at once in that vicinity. The dispatch was heartily applauded. The convention then adjourned at 5.30 P. M. until 9.00 A. M. to-morrow, and after supper myself, Jim Kennedy, Wm. Price, State Labor Commissioner Montgomery, Mr. Hamilton, organizer for the American Federation of Labor, and several other delegates, started out to take in the town. Montgomery told me he was here as a personal representative of Governor Peabody, and he could say that we miners had the sympathy
158 The Pinkerton Labor Spy.
of the Governor, and that we had his (Montgomery's) full sympathy, and he would use his full influence to keep the Governor on our side, and he considered his influence with the Governor pretty strong. Hamilton substantiated his statements, and said he believed the coal miners were fully justified in their demands, and the Governor thought so too; but, of course, the delegates are a little skeptical in accepting such statements in view of the prevailing conditions at Cripple Creek, and also the fact that Montgomery was somewhat intoxicated when he made the statements. He said he was going to address the convention while here, defining his position, also that of the Governor toward the coal miners of Colorado. We were out until after midnight, when we retired for the night
Friday, Sept. 2Sth, 1903.
This morning the Scale Committee offered the following scale for consideration and ratification of the convention:
Demand No. i, an eight-hour day ; No. 2, semi-monthly payday ; No. 3, abolition of the scrip system ; No. 4, better ventilation in mines ; No. 5,