The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-04
PROPOSITION RECOMMENDED TO
THE MINERS BY THEIR EX-
ECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
SlXTY-FIVE-CENT RATE.
ANY ARBITRATION DONE AWAY
WITH If THE TERMS ARE
ACCEPTED.
IN FORCE FOR ONE WHOLE YEAR.
Before 1t Expires Another Meeting
Is to Be Held to Discuss the
Wage Question.

COLUMBUS, O.. Sept. 3.-The end of
the great miners strike is in sight
This afternoon the national executive
board of the United Mine workers
| agreed to Tecomend to the miners a
proposition from the Pittsburg opera
tors for a straight price of IS cents a
ton, to continue in force until the end
of the year. A delegate convention Of
all miners who have suspended work
has been called to meet in Columbus,
Sept. 8, at noon, to act upon the rec
ommendation. President Ratchford
and the other members of the board
say there is not the slightest doubt but
that the miners will approve the rec
ommendation. The proposition does not
involve arbitration, and in effect pro-
vides for an immediate settlement Of
the strike. President Ratchford said
tonight that there were special reasons
for the board recommending the prop
osition. In the first place it comedies
the miners a material advance. Had a
69-cent rate been secured he was con-
fdent it could not have been maintain
proposition does away with all the I'M
certainties of arbitration and will bring
the strike to speedy termination. AS
soon as the miners ratify the PROPOSE
ton work will be resumed in all the
mines.
In the second place, the proposition
provides for revival of the joint con-
ferences for the adjustment sof prices.
The operators are pledged to meet with
the miners prior to the termination of
the agreement and determine the rate
Of mining for the next year. Both the
board and the operators committee are
pleased over the outcome Of the confer
ence and feel that public sentiment
will sustain their action.
This morning the operators commit
tee renewed their first proposition for
a 65-cent rate pending arbitration. This
was again rejected by the miners
board. Then the operators committee
got together and submitted a new prop
osition for straight price of SO cents,
and after long discussion, it was &C
cepted by the miners board, subject to
the approval of the miners at large.
The following circular was issued to-
At a conference between the national
executive board and the district preSi-
dents of the United Mine Workers Of
America and a representative commit
tee of the Pittsburg district operators,
whom we consented to meet only after
it became apparent that national
conference of operators and miners
could not be convened, the following
propositions were submitted by the
Of 70 oh
ators to the executive board and dis
trict presidents, as the basis Of set
tlement to terminate the present
strike:
First-The resumption of work at q
c. cent rate of mining. Tho submitting
OF the question to board of arbitra-
ton to determine what the price shall
be, the maximum to be CO cents and
the minimum to be so cents a ton. the
price to be effective from date of re-
Stunning work.
Second-A straight price of 65 cents
ton to continue in force until the end
Of the year with the additional mutual
understanding that a joint meeting of
operators and miners shall be held in
December, 1897, Tor the purpose of de-
termining what the rate of mining
shall be thereafter.
Your executive board and district
a thorough consideration of the two
propositions, do recommend the latter
as in their judgment the best that can
be secured. becaus0 Of circumstances
that are apparent 10 all who study
market conditions since the Inaugural
ton of the strike.
You, however, are the court of final
adjudication, and must decide for
yourselves what your actions shall be
CHI lNo
ditional reasons will be given and
full report made of the general situa-
ton at the convention. We would fur
Their advise that delegates come
trammeled by resolutions and UNI
structed, other than to act in your best
interest.
At this time it is deemed advisable
for the reason that provisions are
made in the uniformity agreement now
pending in the Pittsburg district and
which it is expected will be operative
in that district on and after Jan. l,
1898, to arbitrate the question of rela-
tive differential between pick and
machine mining, which will we all
tcipate. do much towards furnishing
US with more reliable data on that
question than we possess at present,
and to that extent will be beneficial
to US in settling questions as between
machine and pick mining.
The state board of arbitration of
Ohio, which has been in communion
ton. with the committee of operators
and miners union officials during their
conferences, being asked for an eX-
preston about the settlement gave
this statement:
The settlement is a most fortunate termi-
nation of the strike. There has been no ques-
ton in any quarter that miners wages should
be increased. The only question was how
much Considering the difficulties in the way
on both sides in regard to the adjustment
whichever proposition be accepted as a very
fair and reasonable one. 1t reflects great
credit upon both parties. The operators went
more than half way and sacrificed not a lit
tie, but this is done generously and ungrudg-
ingly, with the purpose of securing TO their
employees a living wage and their action is
appreciated and met in spirit of kindness
and fair dealing. We regard it as a foregone
conclusion that the settlement will be formal
ly ratified on Wednesday next and see no
reason why work may not be resumed at once.
A half weeks work will thus be saved and a
large sum OF much-needed money earned.
There should be no further time lost