The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-28

to employ force to accomplish their ends,
which we are sure will meet with universal
condemnation. They have also found 1t
necessary 10 appoint press committee,
whose duty we are led to believe from their
public expressions, is to mold public SEN
timent in their favor, and the public is adj
viSed by them that are opposed to ar
bitration; that we decline to attend a con-
ference and in fact that we will do nothing
that is fair to end the present struggle; and
further, that our organization is being sup
ported by operators in other States, who
want to continue the strike well as va
rious other things calculated to change the
course of public opinion
From the beginning of this strike to the
present times we have advised in favor of
a conference of all the fields involved and
still invite IL. We have never during that
time been asked by the operators of any
field to take part in conference OF any
character, but on the other hand. attended
the Pittsburg conference on Monday and
Tuesday last, by request of President Do,
arbitration and do not oppose it, but rather
oppose the basis on which it is offered. First.
because it is not based upon living rate OF
wages as proposed by the operators; sec
ond because 1t is only proposed IN one OF
the five States involved in this sus-
pension; state lines know no com
petition in the coal business. Our
strike covers great coal field and
our men are employed by operators, many
of whom have large interests in the various
States, and we take the position that If
arbitration would settle this question it
should be of a general character and that
However, it is probable that settlement
in the Pttsburg district would lead to
settlement all along the line that would be
equally satisfactory and to this end we
made the following proposition, which was
rejected by the Pittsburg operators on
Tuesday last: That work be resumed at the
69-cent rate of mining. pending the decision
of a board of arbitration, the award to be
given within reasonable time, and to take
effect from the date of resumption. From
this it will be seen that We are ready to
rest our case in the hands of a disinterested
third party, but contend that the basis
upon which it shall be adjudicated must in
VoVe living rate of wages.
The charge that our organization has
the support of other operators and that
raise funds to continue the strike or to in
augurate it is wholly unfounded Our min
ers, in every state where 1t Is found CON
ton deducted from their wages by the COM
pany who pays it over to the local treasur-
err thus avoiding the trouble of collecting
the same from each individual member. on
collecting this money the proper
officer forwards the per capita tax
not done by the company, as the public are
led to believe nor is it practicable by any
one State in particular. Based upon the
number of organized men, this custom pre-
walls more generally in Pennsylvania than
elsewhere, so that there is no room for the
Pittsburg opera tors TO raise objections to
that which they themselves have practiced.
We have no interest whatever,in trying to
advance any particular section, over that
Oh dUOLnSE. 10 40 So WOuIO not only De 10
discriminate against the operators of such
sections, but also to discriminate against
our miners. Each mining field has condi-
tons peculiar to itself in the making of
prices and it is utterly impossible for
conference of miners and operators of any
one field to take into account the condi-
lions of all these, and for this reason we
favor representatives from all districts and
ali of the fields In adjusting this difference.
1.-The representatives of 100 900 miners now
on strike are ready to meet their employers
at any time or place that may be
venient to them, not as miners of Ohio
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana or
Illinois, but as miners of a great coal field
If the operators take this view of it, which
is certainly a reasonable one a settlement
may be effected and an agreement reached
that will lead to better prices and greater
profits to all concerned"