The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-13
READING WON'T RECEDE.
PRESIDENT CORBIN STATES THE
COMPANY'S POSITION.

4hdhSS IL AIuDOSSlDl6 10 GIdib iiO
Miners an Advance in Wages.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 12.-lnquiry as to
what happened at the conference between
President Corbin, of the Reading Company,
and the delegation of business men from the
mining regions, is barren of results, but two
New York papers published this morning
in identical language, the following
After hearing what the different members
of the committee had to say, President Cor
bin replied that he heartily sympathized
with the object of the committee, which was
to end the strike, which he deplored as much
as any one, but the position and duty of the
company were perfectly clear, He said
there was nothing the company could sub
NIT to arbitration. The subject of the rail
road strike was closed; that strike
was over. The men who left the service of
the company were discharged, aud would
under no circumstances be taken back. The
leaders of the striking miners, he under
stood. would not be satisfied even if the
question of wages should be conceded. They
would demand that all the new men on the
railroad should be discharged, and all the
discharged men taken back. This, alone,
would make arbitration impossible.
THE COMPANY DEFENDED.
''But beyond this, Mr.. Corbin said, the
position of the company regarding the
miners wages was just, and fair and honest,
and its maintenance was demanded by
every consideration of sound business policy.
II all the coal companies, he said, could be
brought together to agree to advance
wages, the Reading would pay pay as high
rates as anybody, but to talk about submit
ting to arbitration a matter which might
make it impossible for the Reading Com
pany to compete with other coal producing,
and carrying companies was useless. These
were questions which the company never
could submit TO arbitration. The company
had taken its position with great care and
dehberation. 1t was right and
would never recede. He said the
miners had violated their contract with
the company The proper thing
for them to do was to return to work, and
then if they had any grievances tine com
pany would patiently hear anything they
bad TO say, would do them fun justice, and
would in the future, as it had in the past,
pay the best wages that any company paid
for the same class of work
SORRY FOR THE MINERS
"Mr. Corbin said he felt sorry for the great
body of the miners, who, he felt sure, had
been misled by their leaders. He was sorry
to see them suffer, hoped that they won Id
return to work at once, and suggested to
| the committee that they might do excellent
| service to themselves, to the miners, to the
company, and to the public by trying to
| enllghten the miners who had been misled
| into strike which was utterly wrong and
without cause. They should try, he said,
| to induce the miners to return to their allie
| glance to the company. This was the way
and the only way, to end the strike. The
committee was much impressed with Mr.
Corbln's candid statement of the position
of the company, which many of them ad-
mitted was impregnable The committee
would not say what they proposed TO do,
but it is likely that it will result in an ad-
dress by the committee to tho miners
After the conference Mr. Corbn said he
had nothing to give reporters in the way of
news"
NO CHANGE IN THE SITUATION.
The situation to-day remains unchanged.
Mr.. Corbin went to New York imme-
dately after the conference ended yester-
day.
A subcommittee of the miners and rail
readers had been appointed in the morning
TO wait on Mr.. Corbin, but after hearing the
report of the business committee, the sub
committee concluded not to call. Indeed, it
is quite certain that Mr.. Corbin would
refuse to receive any one as a representative
of the railroad strikers, as he considers them
no longer in any way related to the com
pany. The miners committee returned
to Pottsville without having met
any of the officers Of the com
pany The most important question is
whether the miners will if the advance
they are battling for is granted desert the
railroad men and return to work. The
Knights of Labor leaders maintain that the
men will stand or fall together, and that
the strike can not be settled unless both
miners and railroad hands are appeased
Tho Reading officials gave no information
on the subject, and the leaders who repre-
sent the miners refuse to define their posi-
tion and to say whether there is any posi-
bility of division of the two bodies of
employees.
WHAT THE MANAGER SAYS.
The only prominent leader in the city
was w. T. Lewis, Master Workman Of
Miners District Assembly, No. 135, mana
ger of the miners strike He submits good
naturally to cross examination by newspa-
per men, and has under their efforts talked
a great deal, and said nothing at all beyond
this. This much you can say, that when
the proper time comes we will define our po-
sition, and the public will then be sat
iSfied that we are in the right"
A CONFERENCE REQUESTED.
After his interview with President Cor
DJu lubotld1, hdbbtl W VI hlllflIl aFcWlo HtHl
a consultation with other members Of the
miners organization, and yesterday adj
dressed letter 10 Austin Corbin, President
of the Philadelphia and Read
ing Railroad Company, and George
Deb. Keim, President of the
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron
Company, asking from them as representa-
tives OF the Philadelphia and Reading rail
road and Philadelphia and Reading Coal
and Iron Company, conference with the
committee on the subject of wages Of the
coal miners and laborers en-
ployed by those companies in
the Schuylkillregion. Mr.. Lewis says: at
having been intimated that this committee
ware authorized TO deal with the railroad
trouble, desire 10 state that the committee
asks for this conference to consider our own
business and the strike of the coal miners
and laborers now existing, and do not ask,
and have no authority, TO consider questions
relating to the strike Of the railway hands
Mr.. Corbin has not yet replied.
WYOMING MINEEs WON'T STRIKE.
WILKEsBARRE, PA, Jan. 12.-The re-
port circulated recently that the miners of |
the Wyoming region would go on a strike
when called upon is stoutly denied by near
~ all the representative miners here. They |
say that the miners of this region are well |
satisfied with the steady work they have |
had for some months past and fair pay |
which they now receive and feel that they |
"a =, lacf al THAR ri hing hrafhrar Of tha |