Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-08-25

| from the pay Of the miners following
| the award. The, operators stated their
| reasons why this could not be 2c-
| cepted. and in lieu thereof, submitted
| four propositions for arbitration, one
I that the men should return to work,
! leaving to arbitrators what rate shall
4 be paid: one leaving the question OF
/ rate open until after an award mas
I been made: one that the arbitrators
! decide within ten or twenty days the
| miners remaining idle, and one tnat
/ the arbitratOrs have thirty days IN
/ which to decide, the miners remaining
! idle.
"All these were peremptorily re-
| iected by the miners representatives
/ and the conference adjourned.
"The operators feel that in submit
! ting these various propositions for
| settlement by conciliation or arbltra-
+ tion. they have exhausted effort in try
ing to bring about a settlement win
the officials Of the miners. The prop
/ osition of Mr.. Ratchford could not be
I accented because it means an advance
/ Of 2715 per cent in wage cost ana
would entail irreparable losses upon
/ the Droducers. The price at Wnlcn
. I coal contracts HdNE hNNL 'tt+N~@@
this wear were enforced by the condl-
tiOns which ruled the markets IN open
competition from other producing
fields. 1t should be remembered thaV
operators are confronted constantly
with two fOrces-the pressure OF
buvers to get the lowest price. WnlcA
is determined by remorseIess com
petition, and by the miners. VINO de-
mand the highest wage rates at all
times In addition TO these two fac
tors is the cost of transportation TO the
markets.
"Amicable and conciliatory methods
failed TO convice or move the leaders,
the responsibility for what ever prlva-
tion follows 10 the miners and theli
families must rest upon the miners
officials. The operators feel that they
have exhausted all honorable means or
settlement of a strike which has en-
tailed 80 much misery upon the miners
and those dependent upon them. and
which they. in common with the pup
lie 6eplore and would gladly change
on a basis that would not be disastrous
m themselves. The miners Othcla S.
? having rejected the proposition made
f for N agreement. the operators can
/
only ask the miners ito consider the
evisting conditions and ask themselves
whether they are Justified in contlnu-
, ing a line of action which is dictator tal'
and are willing to work at price
which impartial arbitrators may de-
> eide 70 be fair and just under existing
t conditions a board actuated by the i'm
{ puIses Of equity and justice and having
OF hmm nfTV the
scale In favor Of the miners.
"NIr. Ratchford, president or the
{ United Mine Workers, has been mere
I and has gone. He lid not come Will
I ingly. and did not treat with the OPERA
tors on terms that indicate any desire
TO protect the interests and welfare or
the miners Of TIE Pittsburg district.
He openly claimed. repeating what ne
saiS n tho Joint. eeRUeDtic'' ~ I7etrrn-
ber. 1896. that the operators of the dis
[ trict had more work than their share
- Of the trade: that some of 1t was be-
ing taken from them and that more
would be- He claimed the operators
had a larger share of the lake tonnage
than they are entitled 10. and that they
would not be permitted o retain IL.
"In view Of the fact that Mr. Ratch-
ford lives in Columbus, is the home OF
the leading operators of the Hooking
Valley and largest competitors for
b. lake trade. the Pittshurg operators
p have to meet. the position taken by
the national president Of the Unitd
Mine Workers organization is striking
- and startling. This, in view Of the
further fact that the operators Of the
Hooking Valley have paid to the min
ers' organization - s-'a3 by one Of
B them). more than 100000 annually
for the past four years Mr. R2tchf ~
saws the operators of the Pittsburg dis
trict have more business than they are
entitled 10. and we are now arranging
70 take some Of il from them. Coming
from their national officer and leader
this is a singular declaration for one
who processes 70 he anxious for The
welfare Of the Pittsburg district coal
digger. How can there he more work
for them if Mr.. RatchfOrd makes good
his declaration?'
President RatchfOrG was seen after
rha conference and said he had moth
inc more TO say for publication at this
time He intimated that he was eX
pecring a lengthy statement from the
N' HcS NNlllAlalLlFE VI NAINA q. .N4 - anu II
the statement demanded a reply It
would be forthcoming. He and Sscre-
. tary W. c. Pearce left tonight for Co
lUmbUS
/ President Patrick Dolan said he was
very sorry that no conclusion was
reached MANY Of the operators seem
to think that it would humiliation for
them TO make CONCESSIONS he asserted.
"The time TO talk about humiliation
has passed. I am of the oDiniOu that
I if the operators had acceded to our re-
quests. which were certainly fair. they
would not have stamped themselves as
towards. but as gentlemen. who are
desirOUs Of doing what is fsid and JUS.
They have absolutely refused 70 meet
Cur 1er'-7r6s ana -h~~- g. ~- --'---
course for rs 10 pursue We must con
t.nue the strike with unabated yisJr
NO CHANGE AT FAIRNONT.