Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-09

tended by the miners to dictate to the opera
tors that they shall only operate their mines
eight hours.
Secretary McBryde-Yes, sir.
MIR. Robbins-For whom?
Mt NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., and we may as well
speak plainly so we can understand each other
now.
Mr.. Robbins-Thats just what desired to
know. But, for five years the operators and
miners have met for the purpose of fixing the
scale of wages. Now question is introduced
that is entirely foreign TO the Interstate agree
ment. You have come now with something
that is merely sentiment, because you have
been ordered to do it. The operators are grad
ually dropping out of this agreement because
they could get lower rate of mining outside
of 1t. But few of us are asked to tie up our
mines TO eight hours, when our competitors
are running longer. Is that Kind of treatment
gong to maintain the interstate agreement?
1t is a great mistake to force something upon
agreement that would make impossible sue
cessful competition with our neighbors. Such
demand is unjust and unrighteous
Colonel Rend Favors Eight Hours.
Colonel Rend then sprung a surprise upon
the delegates by delivering a speech favoring
the granting of eight hours, providing he could
be shown that this was an opportune time.
1--WE might as well face the facts" said he.
~ believe the time is coming when eight hours
will prevail all over the globe. Postpone the
discussion as we may, l believe it will be
adopted in time in all mechanical trades. be-
lieye stand alone before you favoring eight
hours, as all my colleagues are unit against
me, and but for my efforts would have refused
to discuss the matter at all. believe in free
discussion. 1t is the only way to settle this
question. the chief point of which is. whether
the demand is opportune or not The strongest
arguments against it lie in the heavy invest
ments of the operators and the inequalities of
the connective DISTRICTS
After securing pledge from both President
Rae and Secretary McBryde that it is the inten-
tion to eQualize conditions in all the districts,
Colonel Rend proposed as a compromise
scheme. and asked the miners why they could
not try nine hours this year, and, if successful,
move for eight hours next spring. 81 believe"
he said that if you split on this question the
Interstate agreement is at an end. 1t is neces-
sary Cor US to act on the plan of the industrial
arbitration and conciliation. i would regard a
disruption of this agreement a calamity. 1t
has stopped strikes and lock-outs in the past
and l am sure we do not want strife and blood
shed. such as has been in the coke region, in the
future"
Colonel Reed closed by paying high compli-
ment to several of the former employees who
have risen to positions of honor and to the
miners in general. Among those he mentioned
were Speaker Hysell of the Ohio House of
REPRESENTATIVES. President Rae. Secretary Nc
Bryde, Secretary Evans, of the Federation, and
W. I. Lewis.
Patrick McBryde-I thought when Colonel
hour convert.
Colonel Rend-I am in favor of granting
eight hours if all the others DO.
]. Morton Hall-Yes, but he knows that none
of US will.
Secretary McBryde then took the floor and
spoke for 20 minutes, answering the points
made by Mr.. Robbins, and then got into a con-
troversy with Colonel Rend about his employees
in the Hooking Valley, many of whom he said
idle.
Colonel Rend-Wen. if you make it impossi-
BILE for us to sell coal in competitive districts
and we are compelled to close down, whose
fault Is it?
Secretary MeBryde-You put An 'ff' in
there.
Colonel Rend-We1l, you have done so.
Secretary McBryde-No, we haven't.
Regulating the Work.
Mr.. McBryde then saiu the chief reason for
forcing the eight-hour system Is to get the sup
ply regulated SO that the men would have
work the year round.
Mr.. Scott said he could see no reason why the
Hooking Valley operators should oppose the
eight hours, as 1t would only mean ! reduction
of two hours in whole weeks work to them.
Colonel Morton got into hornets nest by
trying to picture the condition of the miners
in Europe as compared with those of this
country, and when he said they lived on soup
bones IN England the miners hissed him.
President Rae was the next speaker, and he
occupied the floor until the hour of adjourn
ment Mr.. Rae began by saving that the fight
is not to end in Ohio and Pennsylvania :'It
must take place here first, said he, because
to certain extent the miners forces are d.
vided. No great injury intended. But no one
can study the history of the country without
realizing that reductions have been a benefit TO
the workingmen. The industries whose men
work the shortest hours make the most money
and the employees are the most prosperous.
The nations whose men work the shortes,
hours are iT the front rank of civilization. We
are anxious to have intelligent citizens, and
every citizens duty rs to help raise the stand
ard of manhood
MIR. Rae reviewed the eight-hour movements
in England, and showed that by the adoption of
the system the operators got better service out
of both men and machinery. He will resume
his address this morning. giving the operators
figures showing how it will be an advantage 10
grant the demand
A meeting of the Wage Committee was held
last night, but it is feared there will be no call
for their report on wages, as prominent opera
tors said last night that they would never get
beyond the eight-hour question.