Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-24
INDEPENDENTS ARE FESTIVE
Fear Arrangement of Strike Difficulties
Will Press Hard on Them,
BIG COMPANIES DOMINATE SMALL ONES
Have Swallowed Many I'm Two Years
and Can Most of others when
They want to Have
Them.

SCRANTON. Pa, Nov 29.-The position
Of the Independent coal operators with re-
gard to the attempt to settle the strike
dispute without arbitration has not been
definitely decided. They held a meeting
last night, at which twenty-slx compa-
nies were represented, and ap-
pointed a committee Of nine to meet the
presidents OF the coal railroads and learn
what they are to expect providing they
adjust the labor dispute without arbitra-
tion.
The independent operators will make a
Arm stand for some recognition in the set
tlement with the miners. They feel that IL
an increase is agreed upon they should
want some concession from the coal-carry-
ing railroads in order to compensate them,
as they do not sell their product directly
to the consumer, but turn 1t over to the
railroads, who give them, generally speak
ing, So cents on every 81, retaining
35 for hauling and selling the coal. This
sum they will try TO get increased to 20
or 75 cents.
They say they can compllcate matters
II they desire to, but feel 1t would not be
fair to the public or themselves.
A common remark heard in the anthra-
cite region is that mo matter what the
big companies do, the smaller concerns
will have to go along" but they do not
see Il in that light. The large companies
have been gradually absorbing the inde-
pendent companies and it is only ques-
tion of time when they will have control
of most of them.
In 1900 Independent companies mined 25
per cent of the entire output, but now
they control only Is per cent.
In the meantime matters stand much as
before, though It is said with more or
less assurance that the men will receive in
the neighborhood Of a 10 per cent increase,
| a nine-hour day, the weighing of coal to
be adjusted as best 1t can and agreements
between the men and the company by
whom they are employed
These agreements, it is expected, will
run for two or three years from Novem-
| Der /.
A representative of the miners said It
was possible the men employed by each
company will be given a committee to deal
with officials and the privilege of calling
into the conference the national president
of the union.
Operators Made First Move.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov 28.-The public
Ledger tomorrow will publish a public
statement by Wayne Macveagh covering
about an amicable adjustment of the dis
pute.
| Mr.. MacVeagh says:
| The parties were contesting every inch
| of ground when the great railway corpora
| tions volunteered an advance of 10 per cent
| to their employees.
As soon as such an advance was an
| nounced, 1t seemed to be taken for granted
| that, Notwithstanding the advance made
| two years ago. a like increase would now
| be granted the miners and the question OF
! wages being out of the way, there was
\ general feeling In favor of trying to adjust
! the other differences.
While l was examining Mr.. Mitchell !
was asked to meet him and his counsel In
| conference to make an effort to reach
| some adjustment of an amicable nature.
| We discut sed the matters in dispute on
| several occasions and at great length, and
| at last, by the invaluable assistance of
! Mr. e. b. Thomas, the president of the
| two companies l represent, the basis Of a
| possible adjustment was reached, and when
| II was submitted to the other gentlemen,
! who, with Mr.. Thomas, had signed the let
| ter requesting the appointment of the COM
| mission, they all concurred in approving II
| as a basis of negotiations.