The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-23
They End Negotiations and All the Big Mills
Are Expected to Close at Mid
night Tonight
The Men Say Their Union Is Well Fortified 1900
Will Be Affected and They Already They
Need Not Expect Recover Their Employing
u lers Issue Clear Statement Their Attitude

To protect the interests Of an industry
OF vast Importance to the welfare Of Min
neapol1s the Minneapolis mill owners feel
that they cannot grant the demand Of the
Hour leaders for an eight-hour day at
ten hours pay. In consequence all the
employees Of the Northwestern Consoli-
dated. the.Washburn- Crosby and the Pills
bury-Washburn companies will walk out
at midnight tonight and the daily capac-
1ty OF the flour mills will be reduced by
81 800 barrels day.
Four Of the individual mills, the Cata-
ract, Christian, National and Phoenix. are
not affected by the strike Their total
output is not much more than 1000 bar
rels day. .
This morning, in pursuance Of a de-
cision reached at a meeting of the Inter
national Union of Flour. and Cereal Mill
Employes reached last night, a proposition
looking toward arbitration was submitted
by the mill employees to the 'big three
millers this morning. This the millers re-
fused to entertain.
1--WE have nothing to arbitrate, and be-
fore we could grant the demands made
by the flour leaders we might better
close down the mills and leave them
mittee by the millers, according to Presi-
dent Finley.
Following close upon this answer orders
were posted In the various mills and word
was passed around calling out all en-
ployes OF the three companies at midnight
o-n1ght The four smaller mills are not
affected at this time by the strike be-
cause the officers Of the union say that
the small mills will do just what the big
mills do, anyway, and the men there
might just as well be allowed to work.
At the headquarters Of the International
Union of Flour and Cereal Mill Employees
In the Corn Exchange the result of the
Lott no1oy ~ of- 49,. l-..-t-
viewed without disnay. 1--WE rather ex-
pected to get our proposition turned down
when we saw the millers' public letter yes
terday," said John M. Finley, president
| OF the union, but we consider that we
have won, a moral advantage by making
the proposition. We are financially able
| to stand a strike"
The Mems Proposition.
The proposition submitted by Mr.. Fin
Hey A. e. Kellington, International sec
Iretaryz and treasurer, and Thomas C,1rran.
president of the Flour Leaders union, was
as follows: ss.ss szss n
+ 1.-THE flour leaders haYe requested al,
eight hour work day.. You have refused
| their request. They believe that their
request is fair and reasonable You are
no doubt sincere In your position
Since we cannot agree on this question,
let US submit the entire matter to an ar
bitration commission. Let the milling
firms select two representative citizens
of Minneapolis, we will select two; let
the four thus selected choose a fifth mem
Der, commission to be appointed as soon
as possible. Decision to be rendered not
more than two weeks after commission is
appointed. Both sides to have the right
to appear by representative before the
commission to present evidence. Decision
of commission to be binding on both
parties.
IF the offer is not accepted before 8
o'clock p. m. to-day, the members of the
three unions will leave their respective
positions in the mill at midnight.
'.We are earnest in our desire to avoid
trouble and trust that you will be equally
So"
The MlIIer's Reply.
To this the milllers made the following
formal reply: