The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-15
FULL OF MEANING.
Meeting of the Mine Owners
and Miners
In National Conference at Cleve-
land Today.
SHALL THEY BE IDLE?
Shall 10000 Men Resume
Their Toll,
Or Are Gloomy Times Ahead in
the Labor World.

CLEVELAND, May 15.-The concensus
of opinions among miners and operators
today before the conference met, was
that the result of the meeting would be
naught. The conference convened at 2
o'clock in Case hall he scale commit
tee of miners met in Banks hall at 10
o'clock and the operators assembled in
conference at the Weddeu House at IL
o'clock.
Secretary Mcbride says that their
motto is and will continue to be, "One
for all, and all for one"
If one section goes to work, all will
go to work and under no other conditions
can the mines be operated What is the
concern of one is the concern of all The
men felt that right and justice are on
their side and that defeat can come only
as the result of treachery to themselves.
The scale committee in its report, has
endeavored to adjust differences in rates
for mining in manner to work no in
justice to the mines of one section as
compared with another. The demand
is for the wages paid before the reduc-
tions were made last fall and winter.
How PennsyIvania Miners stand.
The corridors at the Weddell house
were thronged with the coal operators
during the entire day until the con-
ference was called to order. Innumera-
bio caucuses and discussions were held,
while the air was filled with rumOrs of
every conceivable kind.
The principal topic of interest during
the morning was the probable attitude
of the Pennsylvania operators. Mr. Alex
ander Dempster of Pittsburg who for
many years had been the president of
the big conferences between the miners
and officers and who is regarded as one
of the clearest headed and best
posted men in the assemblage, was
interviewed on this subject by a
reporter of the Associated Press. Mr..
I ha hfA nf
this convention. and that fact is itself
significant of the situation.
'1Will the Pennsylvania men go into the
convention?" Mr. Dempster was asked.
"Yes3
"How long will they stay?"
EsThat | cannot say"
sWhat is the attitude of the Pennsyl-
vania men today at the conventions"
"Their attitude is the same as it always
was. They have decided that they will
not treat with Mr.. Mcbride on anything
like national basis. MIR. Mcbride has
declared that he will not abide by a de-
cision on any other grounds. Now then
it is question of what he will concede,
if anything. He must concede some
thing, or the convention will fail from
the start"
No Chance of Settlement.
Mr. Osborn of the Osborn Coal com
pany said ''There is no chance that I
can see of anything like like a settle
ment of this question within day or
two at least. In fact / do not see how
they can ever reach settlement on any
basis.
A rumor that coal had fallen so cents
a ton in Chicago today and that boats
were bringing coal down the lakes,
caused quite stir among the operators
at the Weddell.
Had Not Met Mt O'clock.
The delegates to the conference of
miners and operators were slow in gath
ering at the convention hall and at 3
o'clock the meeting had not yet been