The age-herald., 1900-06-29

est wages of any diSt7ict in the Worlu. The Louisville and Nashville, the southern, the Central of Georgia no longer puy codi from the Tennessee Coal Iron ana Railroao Company Something has been said ot the exportation of coal During the Spalnsh war | went to Washington and sent COL Shook to New York and tried to get an or der from the government. oHereu coal de A lower price than 1 had ever mace else- where and President Smith of the Louis- vile and Nashville agreed to lay uoWn q. Pensacola or Tampa at any tune Vessel might call for it, and l failed 10 get ah order for a single ton
 of if was a question of getting a price that would maintain the family or tne miner or of getting work, 1t would pc dll- ferent but that is not the question today.
 .The proposition made by the operators Is the result of several days of conference be- tween the operators, and 1t was agreed to bv every operator who was present. wages have gone up every year for several anu we all realize that time must come when the increase must stop. We cannot Keep on going up year after year indefinitely.
 "Finally. let me persuade you to exercise wisdom. prudence and conservatism Put your foot on radicalism and extremism'
 MT. Flynn Replies
 MT. Flynn of the miners said: T do not, like MT. Baxter, represent the owners oL the Tennessee Coal, Iron ana Halifoda Company, but I represent 1,5OO men who have helped to make its wealth. MT. BaX- ter said he would have his arm severed pe- fore he would sign the contract we or fered I would lose my hand, l would be hung before I would sign the contract they nropose unless I go back home and get in- structions from the men l represent He read some figures which he said were taken from the Tennessee Coal, Iron ana Railroad Company's books. which he said nf tons per month in Alabama. Mr Baxter states that the company makes from 6O,OOO to 900 tons per month. He claimed that the miners committee had not received re- ports of all the iron sold by the company
 MT. Baxter interrupted MT. Flynn to say that he could not consent that the state ment go to the convention that the com pany had impliedy made false statements.
 Mr Flynn asked why it was the commit tee had not been furnished reports of all sales.
 MT. Baxter replied that the company made several grades of iron and while the books showed Kfders for one grade the company might accumulate iron of other grades in its yards.
 MT. F'lynn-The railroads were right to go elsewhere to get coal: they had 1t to do; they couldn't get coal in the Birming- ham district. Some of the operators ap- pealed to me to get the men to work on Sundays as they were about to lose some of their contracts because they could not get out enough coal I believe in organi- zation; I believe in conservatism in labor organizations; but when the organizations come up and sign whatever is offered they have served the day of their usefulness"
 Operafors' Proposition Defeited
 The vote on the adoption of the proposi- ton resulted in it's defeat, the opera tors voting for it and the miners voting against 1t.
 The chair suggested that the next dis cussion in order was the appointment of a joint scale committee.
 A motion was made to appoint q joint scale committee of nine from each side. The chair in putting the motion stated that it would apply only to the miners.