The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-07-29
Progress CT the Conference of
Coal Operators Almost I'M
perceptible.
"True Uniformity" Spoken of as
Almost Too Fair a PROPOSE
ton to Adopt.
Also a Feeling of Suspicion
Against Anything Favored
by De Armitt.

P1TTsBURG, July 29.-The plan OF
uniformity passed upon by the commit
tee of nine coal operators does not vary
materially from the the agreement OF
February, 1896. In relation to the diff.
ferential in thick and thin veins, and
between machine and pick mining, it
states the question shall be settled by a
commission appointed hereafter. # not
settled in 30 days, after the agreement
has gone into effect, three arbitrators
shall be selected to establish the differ.
entail.
The next change from the old agree.
ment is in the Goth section, relating to
amending the agreement. It is pro-
posed that when SO signers shall signify
in writing their dissatisfaction with
any section, the commissioners shall
call a meeting in the Pittsburg court
house not less than two no more than
six days after the call was issued. The
signers attending the meeting shall con.
stitute a quorum.
On the question of wages it says that
s'the said commission, in the absence of
an agreement with the miners estab.
fishing such compensation shall refer
said question to a board of arbitration
to be mutually agreed upon or selected
in the manner prescribed by said COM
mission, and a like number of represen.
tatives of miners who are employees of
the subscribers"
Progress Exceedingly Slow.
Progress made in the conference thus
far is SO slow that indications are that it
will be several weeks before an agree
ment satisfactory to the IS per cent of
the operators of the district necessary
before ''true uniformity" can become
an established fact.
The operators are rather dazed by this
second attempt to put this peculiar doc
trine into practice. All admit it is fair
but add that it is impossible of accom-.
plishment, because it is too fair. On
the one side is w. p. DeArmitt, with a
small following, but a giant in himself.
On the other hand are grouped the
mass of operators, inimical to anything
Mr.. DeArmitt might suggest, because
he it suggests, and not for the lack
Of merit the suggestion might con-
tain. w. P. Rend stands off by him.
self, but his interests are SO large
he is bound to be respected. Mr..
Rend refuses to be reconciled to Mr..
De Armitt's suggestions, and he is very
vehement in his protests against the
president of the New York and Cleve.
land Gas Coal company. The refusal of
the river operators to become identified
with the uniformity movement presents
a new obstacle in the way of success.
Without their aid, the required 50 per
cent cannot be secured.
Mistaken Impression Corrected.
Thomas Young says there seems to be
q mistaken impression as to the purpose
of the meeting. 1t is not to settle the
strike or the price of mining. It is
simply to discuss the proposed plan Of
uniformity. Even if the agreement is
adopted, it will not settle the strike. 1t
can only lead up to a settlement. The
price Of mining would then have to be
settled by arbitration.
Notwithstanding these obstacles, the
peace commissioners and the advocates
OF uniformity express confidence that
the plan will be successful.
Upon assembling the conference went
into committee of the whole.
The articles agreement were taken up
and the first five adopted with a few
slight changes. They provide for cash
pay 1850 pounds to a ton, check weigh
man, aboh>na.cnt OF company stores,
credit IS for full quantity Of
cal III ", and sem!-monthly pay,
Wi;nou, utt.u"l!ou for merchandise, etc.
49, e. ~. N.i, under consideration
:--!eu ii .y<@.>s was taken.