The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-25
COAL STRIKE WILL GO ON.
,,1 PROPOSITIONS FOR ARBITRA-
TTON REJECTED AT PITTSBURG.

n " ~
Arbitration and tho Operators Onered 10
p.y what wight ne Agreed Upon n work
started at Once-StruEElo 60 begin Again.
prrrsBrRG, Pa, Aug. 2i.-Tho great coal
.,Lte will continue. Tho conference between
On. coal operators and coal miners adjourned to-
d.y without action. The parties to the con-
,roxersy arc further apart than before, and tho
Failing that has been aroused makes an early
,ettloment still more improbable. 1t now looks
IKE war to the bitter end. The operators arc
,n.tInv lamentations to reopen their idle mines
18th non.union men II they can get no others;
the miners are preparing to resist the attempt.
This mornings session lasted only an hour,
and after It was over representatives OF both
,Ibes announced that IL had been found impos.
,ible TO como TO an agreement, either on n com.
promiso or on arbitration. The conference
h.gan its session at IL o'clock and by noon had
adjourned sine die.
The operators had made several offers TO tho
miners the best of these being the one granting
N. miners a wage rate Of Civ cents a ton, but
All were rejected. In return the miners had
m,de these propositions, which; were rejected
by the OPERATORS:
ITO issue q call for a conference of operators
and miners representatives OF the competitive
States.
.The miners to return to work Mt once at the
eo-oent rate until the price could be determined
nv arbitration within thirty days; should the
A.oston be for less than 80 cents the miners TO
h. charged with tho difference between 80 cents
and the award OF the arbitrators, the differ
cpoo to be deducted from their next pay"
Ths miners had also refused a proposition to
,ybltnte the wage question, the miners to go
10 work without a price being set, and to be
n.jd st the rate agreed upon by the arbitrators.
President Ratchford was asked why this offer
vas not accepted. He replied:
Because it applied only to the Pittsburg dis
trict. II We go into an arbitration Of that kind
We want the whole competitive field represented.
They declined to Join US in a call for a general
proposition, and so VIC refused their offer OF ar
bitreion, knowing that they were merely try.
ing to harass us with o whole series of petty
,rhitratious. II we would arbitrate that way
hera we would be called upon to do 1t in other
zelda and what we want Is o settlement which
will be general"
But you are willing to arbitrate for tho
Pittsburg field II you first got the price which
you ask"
That Is because we believe that the resump-
ton OF work in the Pittsburg district at the So
cent rate would lead to assumptions In other
fields at proportionate prices. We have no
doubt OF our ability to show q fair-mindod
board OF arbitration that SO cents IL not moro
than living wages"
The afternoon was spent by the operators In
preparing a statement 'tor the public and tho
miners" as one operator put 1t. The state
ment was given out at Z p. NJ. II first recites
the proceedings of yesterdays and to-day's
meetin IS, specifics the propositions made by
the operators and miners, the refusal Of the
S sofs sHd m az S99s Sepre ss a GGReeFf fron q The Se eon.
petittve coal fields OF western Pennsylvania
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, the refusal Of the
operators TO accept the miners arbitration
The operators feel that in making their
PFSRGs,aioa' ,h iSy SaTe Exhausted 81 SO eSors IL ,r Or
ing to bring about a settlement with the 9th.
cials; The proposition OF Mr.. Ratchford could
Of 2Ih per cent. in the wage cost and would
entail heavy losses on the producers. The
were enforced by the conditions ruling in the
ducins fields
with two forces the pressure of buyers to get
coal at the lowest price, which Is determined
By a x iSem S9 siI iim Sone 4snsnS a., and b, Sy sae n min.
bic wage rate. In addition to these two fac
tors Is the one of cost OF transportation from
. en-, the &c Peeponsibfiity for shatever suffering r
Sest on the miners officials. Tho operators
feel that they have exhausted all honorable
means Tor the settlement or the SCrtke. Inc
miners officials having refused thei- PROPOSE.
tions, the operators can only ask the miners to
consider the conditions that exist and answer
satisfaction whether they are justified in CON
ttnuins the line of action they have been follow
The statement continues with this serious
'hasSs; R.,cb,ors openly claimed that the
Of the coal trade and that some of it was being
{aken from them, He claimed that the miners
h f.f.L more D OF. Of The he, lake trade than n they were On;
hatcht9rd lives IN Columbus, which is the homo
the largest competitors Of the Pittsburg oper.
ktorS for AXE TONNAGE the position taken BY
THE SCS correspondent read the operators
statement to Mr.. Ratchtord. He said:
II e charged, in that statement that my
means an increase OF 27A per cent. in the wage
fate. In reply to this I admit that my offer
to arbitrate Contemplated that the miners re.
the operators should retain any amount over
the rate awarded by the operators.
etors OF this district had more than their share
q the lake trade. In the discussion at the con-
burg district was entitled to ali OF the lake trade.
lake trade this district is entitled TO-. I know
Der cent; Mr.. Zerbe says you are entitled TO all
That" concluded Ratchtord, lis ali / said"
The United Labor League met tonight, was
addressed by Ratchford, Pearce, Dolan, and
warner. and passed resolutions. Newspaper
reporters were barred from the meeting, IL being
ieared that some of the members OF the league
The resolutions laid:
Resolred, That we appeal TO the workingmen
Of allegheny county to hold themselves in readi-
ness 70 assemble peaceably, hold public meetings,
MaIch on the public highways when necessary,
.hu tnat q general suspension OF all works In
me mills, factories, and workshops be declared
Y the sheriff and courts shall persist in defying
'ns constitutional rights OF a free people.
hesotred, That VIC, representatives of the
srsde and labor. organizations in mass
W1heeuhg assembled, indorse and commend
the national and local officers OF
the United Mine workers for their
S SsSoImts stand in the present strike and their