The age-herald., 1901-06-29
THE SETTLEMENT
 'OF COAL DISPUTE May be Accomplished by Min CTS and Operators Today PROSPECTS APPEAR FAIR For Signing the Scale and Resuming Work on Last Years 6asis-More
 Meetings VIII Be Held
 This Morning.

Indications point to settlement of the wage scale between the miners and oper- ators at meetings to be held today.
 The settlement will be effected on the basis of last vars prices, if arranged as anticipated.
 At meeting held yesterday morning the joint subcommittee of the joint scale committee appointed by the conference made a report to the conference held at Elks' hall he report was received by she conference It was submitted by W. F.. Aldrich, who made the following state ment.
 Mir. Aidrich's Statement.
 .I wish to say that your joint scale committed, or rather the joint sub-com mittee, acting under the instructions of this convention, met promptly at o'clock yesterday and organized and immediately proceeded to business.
 "All questions affecting the scale, the conditions under which the miners are working and the selling prices of coal and iron were carefully in vestigated and thoroughly discussed. The claims of the miners, urged by their members of the committee, were forcibly put and ably ar- gued. Further, when there was doubt upon questions, witnesses were called in to testify in regard to facts that were not entirely familiar to your committee.
 'I mention all these things to show that your committee has not acted hastily in this matter. but with due deliberation and careful investigation and painstaking consideration.
 q will further say that the report agreed upon, which will now present, is a unanimous report, each of and every member of the committee agreeing there to. The report is as follows:
 "To the joint scale convention.
 Your joint scale committee regrets to have to report that 1t has been unable to arrive at a basis of settlement which all of the members of the committee can agree to recommend. Your committee, however, desire to further report:
 "1. That in it's opinion no basis of set clement can be agreed upon which carries with 1t reduction of wages or a change of the rules and conditions of last year which would reduce the earnings of the miners.
 
 be agreed upon which would in any wise increase the cost of coal production or in any manner alter the rules and conditions of last year.
 '"Tfiat it Is the opinion of the committed 8 settlement could be reached by renew ing last years scale of prices with the same rules and the same conditions with out alteration or amendment Executive Session. After the acceptance of this report the miners convention was resolved into an executive session for the purpose of dIs- cussing the question. The operators were informed that a committee would give them information as to the convention S acts.
 This session continued during the en- tire afternoon and will be resumed during today. It will be decided whether ,the present scale will be accepted for the coming year.
 A meeting of the operators was held during the afternoon, but nothing defi- nite was accomplished. Another meeting of the operators will convene this morn- ing at 10 o'clock and await the action of the miners convention.
 Tn speaking of the situation last night prominent persons on both sides said 1t sounded as if an agreement might be reached.
 The general belief is that the present scale will be adopted and no changes made for the coming year.