The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-07
THE CONFERENCE
To-day of the Coal Miners and op.
orators In Pittsburgh
WILL DECIDE MANY DISPUTES.
The workinGmsm HIVE Grie vnnrrs
which viii lie rrn,entsd by tho Leaders.
Secretary Warner E,piains tho situu.
tion-Dsfends psAruit-somo Moment.
ous aud Difneuit Prohsrms to Solve.

y PITTSBURGH. Pa. Dec, 1.-THE min.
Ing situation In the great competitive
coal fields OF Pennsylvania. Ohio, In
diana and Illinois has reached crisis
The district convention OF the Pitts
burgh miners Tomorrow and the Joint
convention of miners md operators the
day following viii be OF the utmost
Importance 10 the four great conl-pro.
duclnE states.
The outcome OF the conventions Is be-
You'd tho best Judgment of either opcr-
ators or miners officials, but all ad-
nit the seriousness OF the casa. The
miners will strive fer settlement with
their employers in the Joint convention,
but they say positively /; must be on
different and more equitable lines than
before. II no settlement Is reached the
way Is opened, they say, for another
national strike OF ths coal miners. II
not national. the movement will cor
talnly include Pennsylvania, Ohio and
Indiana and is almost certain TO drag
in Illinois,
Ht lNA0oal AtAA NhNiN Va
flcIals will be reinforced in the ASlC>
convention by the addition OF the ma
tlonal officers and In all probability the
officials OF the Ohio state osganign-
\ ton. Philip II. Penrn, president OF the
r United Mine Workers; Cameron Miller,
vice president: W. c. Pierce. secretary
and Patrick McBryde. eX-secretary,and
one Of the shrcwdest men on either
side. will all be in the convention. The
miners have lined up for fight on
several questions and 1t Is quite likely
that the joint convention will adjourn
without reaching q conclusion on any
OF them. Some OF the points are sus-
cep;ible OF adjustment with more or
less trouble, but others are said to be
impossible OF satisfactory settlement.
Warner Is Pc>sIInistIc.
William II. Warner, secretary OF the
Pittsburgh miners. yesterday sized up
the situation in the Pittsburgh district
and traced the results OF whatever Is
done at the Joint convention upon the
other states in the competitive field
Secretary Warner said the situation
could not be more gloomy and refused
TO predict the action OF the C0nven-
ton. The miners. he SAID, have more
grievances aSains. the operators than
was llS cast 1881 btNClIlOtA NAlHaA
joint convention was held,
There Is number OF difficult tan
giles TO be Strengthened out, and some
will not be settled ut all with satIsfac-
ton 10 both sides" he said. Tho most
difficult question We have 10 deal with
Is that Of the rate for mining. That
cannot be settled by asking the major
fly OF operators to pay seventy cents a
ton and one company. one OF the lar
SeSt in the United States. continuing to
pay fifty-four cents q ton. That has
been tried and failed.
Another plan has also been tried,anl
that too. has been unsuccessful. mean
the reduction in rate which the miners
made some months ago. The men are
tired OF the low rate and cannot be
blamed for refusing to continue II lon
ger. An agreement virtually to that
effect was made last December in the
joint convention, but the miners will
not consent to q similar agreement
again.
EeArmit Not the Only Offender.
For years William P. DeArmlt,pres-
.dent OF the New York and Cleveland
Gas Coal Company. has been held up
as the direct and solely responsible
cause OF oil the disorglnIzation In the
Pittsburgh dIstric:. All the evils tina:
afflicted the Pittsburgh coal trade were
charged 10 him. The operators charg-
cd him with the responsibility OF poo
duclng the evils that operated against
them Some OF that IS true. but not
all. Mr.. DeArmlt has been q mighty
power against operators and miners In
this district for unfavorable effects,
He has gWen the operators cause for
worry, and his very name IS warn
ing TO the miners.
II cannot offer defense for Mr.. De-
Armlt, but am unable to find good TO
say about number OF other operators
who have thrown stones At him. They
are equally responsible for the existing
conditions In this district. The miners
did not make the reduction In the rate
: because the New York and Cleveland
Company was paying fltty-four cents n
ton. No, for that company had becn
paying that rate all the time. Then 9TH
er operators knew that an effort was
under way 10 get that company to pay
the district rate, and before II could be
put Into play demanded and enforced a
reduction In wages nj different points
in the district. II they had been fair
they could have given US u chance. but
they feared that the conditions they
demanded would be brought about and
their thunder would have been lost.
Don't Want nn Agreement.
Many OF the operators who have been
directing the attention 10 Mr.. De Armlt
are worse than he so far as dcmoralizing
the district Is concerned The miners arc
fully posted on that point and will have
something to say about II In the joint
convention.
THE experience Of the past year has
shown that there Is no use having con-
tract with the operators. We had what
We supposed was Il GOnd agreement dat
ing from the last Joint convention, and It
has been di3rcgardcd right along. II Is
certain that the miners VIII enter into no
more agreements which bind them but
not the operators. II they are 10 be per-
m!tted 10 cut the mining rate whenever
they take n notion there Is no use In Il
joint agreement.
IF the operators and miners fail to
agree there will bc 10 established rate,
and would not be surprised to gee big
strike next year in Pennsylvania. Ohio
and Indiana. The miners VIII 60 into
the Joint convention with n determine
ton to make change In the situation.
We must either have the cooperation OF
the operators In all mattCrs or know that
they Will oppose improvements In the
condition OF the miners. There must be
no more false moves. The oorators
must shOw where they are At. There Is
(. n way 10 bring about uniformity. and n
the operators actually Want 1t they
must show their Intentions.
Points In Dispute.
1.-THE important questions for the con-
vantIOn pXrluglv1 Of rho m tp matter lrc