The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-09-03
IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT THE RESULT
Pittsbura Miners Will Insist Upon
Sixty-ninc Cents.
OHIO WANTS PREFERENTIAL.
session Was a stormy One, Members
of Board Offering ON PROPOSE
tions-Troublc mt Haxlcton.

tional executive board OF the United Mine
Workers has adjourned until tomorrow
without reaching conclusion on the prop
osition of the operators and II Is impos-
sible to predict what will be done The
board had stormy session today and
there appears to be very decided diner
ence Of opinion among tho members as
to the course to pursue The proposition
OF the Pittsburg operators applies specific
iallv to that district. but in effect all the
districts are concerned. The proposition Is
that the Pittsburg miners shall return TO
work at "a cent rate pending arbitra-
ton. the conditions OF the arbitration be-
ing that the rate for mining shall not be
fixed at more than go cents or less than
60 cents. Under these conditions the min
crs maintain they would probably not Sc
cure through arbitration more than 65
cents. Here is where the temper of the
Pittsburg miners has been asserted. They
want 60 cents and there is some doubt
whether they could be induced to accept
less without vigorous protest and a long
drawn out controversy. The Ohio miners
want all they can get, naturally. but what
they insist on most is the maintenance OF
difforentials Of 8 cents In their favor, which
they have had so long. Whether any Get
Element can be secured through the prop
the members OF the miners executive board
differ. They all agree that they can not
40 is to submit ircvn,mrn dations for
acceptance Or rejection by the craft. The
opinion as to how such recommendations
should be submitted. whether to a conven-
ton of the Pittsburg miners alone or TO
general convention. The repeated asser-
tions of the miners officials that no set
Element would be made by districts. places
them In a very embarrassing position and
II matter Of official policy alone was
concerned the present meeting of the board
would be very short. Some OF the men,
bers OF the board. however, think they
should accomplish something before taking
final adjournment. and this is the only
thread upon which action looking to set
Element OF the strike may be expected.
None of the members Of the board will
discuss the situation and the proceedings
CT their meeting have been guarded with
the utmost secrecy.
Separate sessions were held tonight by
the National executive board OF the miners
| and the committee Of Pittsburg operators.
Both meetings were OF an informal nature,
but that of the miners board was the
| most important. The members agreed TO
| reject the proposition OF the operators II
| appears that the price to be paid for ma
| chine mining Is the principal stumbling
| block. The operators offer to pay only one
| half OF the price on pick mining for ma
| ciiinery mining, and the miners demand
| two thirds. 1t is doubtful. however.
| whether the other differences can be set
| tied The miners will offer no counter
| proposition and the operators are not em-
| powered TO make a new one. Another
| Joint conference will be held tomorrow and
| to arrive at a more perfect understanding
| of just what each side demands. A mem
Der OF the miners board stated tonight
| that he thought some step might yet be
| made toward settlement, but he had no
| definite idea along what line 1t might lie.
Pittsburg. September 2.--Judging from
surface indications 1t seems reasonably
certain that President Ratchford OF the
| United Mine Workers and his colleagues
| In office will reject the offer OF the oper-
| ators to return to work at the 64-cent rate
pending arbitration. Great influence has
| been brought to bear upon the strike lead
ers from this district to induce them 10
| assume such attitude. The sentiment
among the minors here Is SO intense for
"6s-cent or nothing" settlement that all
| the local leaders now in the city have ad-
vised strongly for continuance OF the
fight along the present lines and 10 the
bitter end Secretary Warner wired to
Mr.. Ratchford that the miners here want
60 cents or defeat and to submit the Han
ma proposition. as II Is called. TO vote
would only entail needless expenditure OF
time and money. The result, he said.
would not be in doubt for an instant. The
miners believe they have victory well
within their grasp and having firm be-
| lief in the Justice OF their cause they viii
not submit to anything that savors OF
| temporizing or partial relief from the orig
| inal stand. The members OF the distrlct
executive board are in hearty accord with