Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-07-30
OPERATORS MEET.
Important Gathering Affecting the
Strike in Session.
COL. REND BOLTS THE MEETING.

De Armitt Declares 1t Has Nothing
y Labor Leaders in Confer
eMce Mt Wheeling.
Pittsburgh, Pa, July 2s.-Eighty-
nine coal coHlpany's mines located in
the Pittsburgh district, We're repre-
scented at the coal operators uniformity
meeting here Tuesday. The operators
who ship coal by river and those owning
mines in the Westmoreland field were
not present. The river operators held
meeting at the coal exchange in the
afternoon and decided to take no part
in the uniformity movement. No at
tention was paid to the call by the West
moreland people. Very little was ac-
complained at the two sessions. The
old uniformity agreement with the new
clauses inserted were reported on by
committee and the meeting to-day will
take up the agreement by clauses for
discussion. Other changes in the con-
ditions since 1906 warrant different
provisions. Committees will be APP
pointed to draw up clauses that will
cover the points at issue.
Col. Rend Withdraw.
The only sensational incident Of the
sessions occurred when Col. w. /. Rend
presented a minority report on the uni
formity agreement denouncing the pro-
ceedure of the meeting in severe terms
and boiling the conference.
Alex Dempster Made Chairman.
w. p. Murray called the meeting to
order at 1880 a. m. by nominating Alex
nempster for chairman. Col. w. z.
Rend named George w. Schleudberg,
but he declined and Mr.. Dempster was
chosen to preside.
Gen. John Little was chosen vice
president; he made short address, say
ing the board was here as citizens and
had no personal interest in the coal
business. They hope by Cancellation aud
mediation to bring about settlement
between the contending factions. State
lines have nothing to do with the ques-
ton. You have the power here to settle
this controversy. As Pittsburgh goes SO
will go the other states.
After electing Marshall II. Reno sec
rotary of the meeting committee was
appointed to take up the proposed uni
formity agreement, revise it to suit the
changed condition since it's first formu-
lation and report to the conference at
three o'clock.
The committee consists of w. P. De
Armitt, George w. Schleudberg, Thorn
as E. Young, w. p. Rend, d. P. Black, U.
A. Andrews, James Armstrong, =. NJ.
Osborne.
Old Agreement Reported.
At four o'clock the committee asked
for another hour and the meeting took
a second recess until five e'eleck, when
the committee reported the old uni
formity agfeementi with the ney
clauses and preamble prspar edsby the
visiting arbftrators. The, pepest. was
read and Capt. ,steytier moved thats.it
] be received and the committee dis
charged.
Col. Rend demanded recognition for
! the hearing Of q minority report. He
prefaced the report with few remarks
on what he termed the bunco intention
Of the meeting. Col. Rend said he had
been misled by Mr.. Little as to the
purpose of the meeting. He under
stood that it had been called with q
view Of Fastening settlement Of the
strike, and was assured of that at q
conference with the general on Monday
night. When he got to the meeting
he learned that the strike was not to be
taken into consideration or discussed
In connection with uniformity.
The Resolutions.
The preamble to the resolutions recites
the earnest desire of the coal operators OF
western Pennsylvania to devise honorable
methods to bring the strike to a termina-
ton: deplores the poverty and misery of
the vast army of miners and their families
and claims that the public has been misled
by crafty and false statements as to the
causes responsible for the present and past
turmoil. The resolutions favor the speedy
adjustment of this strike and all questions
Cancellation employed in Joint conference
of miners and their employers, and tina,
failing, by an adjudication by tribunal OF
arbitrator, composed Of three United
States Judges, or three other gentlemen
of national repute. and in whom the en-.
tire country can repose confidence; favor
the principle and practice Of uniformity
In its true and honest sense; favor true
and honest weights and measures, casf
payments and all other Just and equitable
denounce as false charges that dishonesty
has been practiced in weights and meas
ures In western Pennsylvania; declare tina
the operators are ready and willing to ad
vance the wages ofsthe miners, but fint
themselves unable to do this to the full
extent demanded by them. viz: % per cent
advance on the prices that were paid prio
to the strike, and now being paid by on,
OF the largest coal companies In wester,
Psnnsylvania, and which company pre-
sents the chief obstacle to the settlement
OF the present conflict.
After the resolutions had been reae
the chairman asked to have some por
lions eliminated, but Col. Rend refused
emphatically to allow single word t,
be dropped, and after short conten
ton withdrew from the conference
The meeting then. adjourned until ter
o'clock this morning.
w. p. De Armitt said he wanted i
distinctly understood that the call t,
adopt uniformity did not have anything
to do with the strike as he did not pro
pose to arbitrate anything while unde
fire, nor admit that the operators wer
towards.
Asked to Return.
Tuesday night Gen. Little and other
called on Col. Rend at his hotel an,
asked that he reconsider his action an.
enter the conference again to insur
success of the meeting. He replied tina
he would cordially indorse and co
operate in any plan the conferenc
agreed upon II so per cent. of the dis
trict operators would give their con