Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-11-24
STRIKE TRIUMVlRAHE.
Commission Adjourns, Leaving Three
Members to Represent 1t.
INDEPENDENT OPERATORS.
they Advance Long Statement, In
Which Reference Ii Made to GIN
timidatiOn," "TerrOrism" and
"Anarchy"-Gray's Reply.

OF the differences between the anthra
cite coal miners and the operators OF
the mines has been left to committee
Of three.
Commissioners Watkins, Parker and
CLARK have been appointed commit
tee to remain here and lend their as
sistance, if needed, to both sides dur
ing the negotiations for an agreement
Regarding their powers, Chairman
Gray said THE committee knows the
attitude OF the commission and will be
able to state it,
Judge Gray, General Wilson and
Colonel Wright left for their homes
early Bishop Spalding has left for
Peoria, ILL., Most of the out of town
attorneys also have gone to their re-
spective homes.
Very Brief Session.
The commission was in session only
twenty minutes on it's last day of
meeting. At the opening Of the ses-
sion G. S. barrow, counsel for the
miners, rose and suggested that the
LIST or Sd Of December. He gave as his
reason the inability of the miners to
present additional facts and figures at
this time and said if the suggestion
was agreed TO by the attorneys. for the
operators and by the commission he'
had the greatest confidence that it,
would be productive of much good
Judge Gray as chairman of the com.
mission in reply said that he heard
with much satisfaction the suggestion
of Mr.. barrow and said he felt the ad-
journment would be acceptable to his
colleagues In the meantime he hoped
both sides would confer regarding the,
submission of facts and, figures and
hoped that they might be able to con-
slider other matters satisfactorily. Both
sides had made their submission of
their cases, he said. and the comm s.
sion cannot abrogate its duty to make
a final award unless the submissions
are withdrawn.
Ira III. Burns of Scranton, one Of the
attorneys for the independent oper-,
ators, then had IA short discussion with
Judge Gray regarding the position of
the independent operators. He thought
the individual concerns should have
been consulted in the matter.
Judge Gray interrupted to say that
the commission was not party to-
anything that had been done by the.
large operators or the miners. All the.
commissioners. have done has been
done In open session.
Protest by Barns.
Mr.. Burns said the independents had
no objection to adjournment arrange
ments, but felt they should have been
consulted. He said there was a third
party, the American public, that is
interested in the proceedings. That.
he said, will have to carry the bur-
den If any increase in wages is made"
1t will not have any confidence, he
said, in a private adjustment of the
differences existing between the COM
panies and the miners which cannot be
permanent, and he would rather have
the whole matter thrashed out before
the commission.
Chairman Gray in reply said that the
commission was not party to any
outside arrangement and that he
thought the adjournment would give
all sides an opportunity to get togeth.
er. He also added that If any one has
fighting clothes there will be ample
opportunity to wear them. He repeat.
ed that the commission did not propose
to abrogate it's, duty, but would pass
upon a tentative agreement or make a
final award.
1--WE are here because you cannot
agree, and if you can why don't your
he added, with some spirit.
Position Of Operators.
Mr.. Burns then read the following,
statement as showing the position of,
the Independent operators at this time:
If the commission please. we were not a,
party nor were we consulted in the SUBJ
mission as agreed upon between the pres
ldents of the large companies and the.
Of the United Mine Work.
ers of America.
After the commission had been regularly
appointed by the president we were in
vited by the recorder of this commission
to become a party to its deliberations.
with the understanding that the agree
ments were to be binding upon. its find-
ings.
The independent operators, signifed
their willingness to become q, party to
and to submit to this commission our
contentious as far as the Individual oper-
ators are concerned. Nothing has devel-
oped in this preliminary hearing that
tends to change our minds as to the posi-
ton we took on the LIST of last May:
Indeed, from the Independent operators
point of view there is something more
vital that concerns not only the operator,
but every American citisen living In the
anthracite coalfelds. something Of a far
greater consequence than the mere ad-
vancing Of wages or the recognition Of
any labor organization. We believe the
rights Of American citizens have been as
sailed; terrorism, intimidation and indeed
anarchy have prevailed throughout the
anthracite region, and 1t Is the purpose of
the operators to at least have an expires.
sion of the American people through this
honorable commission appointed by its
president, thereby placing their seal of
disapproval upon future acts 80 that any
one claiming to be a citizen and under the
protection Of American government would
hesitate before he would assail the rights
of another individual American.
As to the increase of wages. the in6e-