Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1902-10-14
OPERATORS PRO-
POSE ARBITRATION

who wishes % exercise his right 10
work
A schedule is annexed hereto show
ing some of the things done to create
this reign of terror. and every in
stance stated can be verified by ref
erence to the officers of the law
civil and military-in the anthracite
region. This violence has continued
and steadily increased, notwithstand-
ing repeated disavowals by Mr..
Mitchell, and it 4s clear that he either
cannot or will not prevent it, and
that the rights CT the other workmen
cannot be protected under the su.
premacy Of the mine workers union.
The coal companies believe that the
wages paid in the coal regions are
fair and full, and that the business
in its normal condition has been able
to stand If the capital invested Is TO
have any reasonable return. The
profits have been small, several Of
the companies have become bankrupt
Several have never paid dividends
and the dividends of the others have
been a small return for the capital
invested. 1t is not, however, the pur-
pose of this statement to discuss this
question. The undersigned are not,
and never have been, unwilling to
submit all questions between them
and their workmen to any fair tri-
bunal for decision. They are not
willing to enter into arbitration with
the mine workers union, an organ:-
Zation chiefly composed of men in
rival and competitive interest, and
they are not willing to make any ar
rangement which will not secure to
the men now working, and all now or
hereafter wishing to work, whether
they belong to the mine workers
union or not. the right and oppor
tunity to work in safety and withou.
personal insult or bodily harm to
these reasons the aIbitrations hereto
fore proposed have been declined.
Offer Previously Made.
1t will be remembered that at the
we made the following offer: That
ew would take up at each colliery any
alleged grievance, and in the event of
failure to make satisfactory adjust
ment the questions at issue to be sub
mitted to the final decision of the
judges of the court of common pleas
of the district in which the colliery is
located. This offer was made by us
in good faith and we desire here to
reaffirm It.
The coal companies realize that the
urgent public need of coal, and the APP
prehension of an inadequate supply
for the approaching winter, calls for
an earnest effort to reach a practical
conclusion which will result in an in
creased supply, and the presidents of
the companies desire to make every
effort to that end which doesn't in
| volve the abandonment of the inter-
ests committed to the men who are
working and seeking to work in their
mines. This responsibility they must
bear and meet as best they can.
They therefore re-state their posi-
ton: That they are not discriminat-
ing against the United Mine Workers.
but they insist that the miners union
shall not discriminate against or re-
fuse to wSrk with non-union men;
that there shall be no restriction or
deterioration in quantity or quality of
work, and that owning to the varying
physical condition of the anthracite
mines each colliery is a problem by
itself
We suggest a commission to be an
pointed by the president Of the Unitec
States (if he is willing to perform that
public service). to whom shall be re-
ferred all questions between the re-
spective companies and their own en-
ployes, whether they belong to a
union or not, and the decision of thar
commission shall be accepted by US.
ehe commission to be constituted
as follows:
Proposed Composition of Commission.
I. An officer in the engineer corps
Of either the military or naval service
Of the United States.
2. An expert mining engineer. ex-
perienced in the mining Of coal and
other minerals, and not in any way
connected with coal mining proper
ties, either anthracite or bituminoug
3. One OF the judges OF the United
States courts Of the Eastern district
CT Pennsylvania.
l. A man Of prominence. eminent "a
a sociologist.
? a man. who by active participa-
ton IN mining and selling coal, is IA
mliiar with the physical and CONNER
cial features Of the business.
Miners to Return 70 Work.
It being the understanding that I'M