The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-21
MINE CONTROVERSY
 STILL UNSETTLED
Miners FIatly Refuse to Accept
 U. s. Judge as Umpire
WILL TRY AGNN TODAY
Both Sides Seem Anxious to Come to Terms, and the Only Hitch Lies In the Selection of the -
 Fifth Arbiter.

The miners and operators met again yes- terday. but failed to agree on the method of choosing arbitrators. and the joint conference has adjourned until today.
 They met in joint conference at ? o'clock yesterday. at Fox's Hall to receive the amended proposition which the operators on Saturday afternoon promised to sub init. The new proposition simply reeited the operators proposition of Saturday and made the stipulation that the two members of the commission appointed by the miners should be allowed to select which ever one they chose of the three federal judges suggested-Don A Pardee, Harry T. Toalmin and Thomas G. Jones. The miners unequivocally refused to accept any United States judge as member of the commission.
 The question was then referred to the sub-scale committee to report back to the joint conference This committee, at 4:sO 1 reported that they would not formulate a plan acceptable to both sides within the time set, and so the conference ad- journed until today at p. m. in order to give the committee time to come to an l agreement, if possible
 Proceedings In Detail.
 The operators met in executive session at the Commercial club at 10 o'clock and adjourned at 1:30.
 At 2:25 Chairman Flynn called the joint conference to order There were great many outsiders present, and the hall was crowded to It's full capacity.
 William R. Fairley addressing the con- vention, said: When we adjourned on 1 Saturday night we adjourned in order to 1 give the operators time to consider their position The main principle of arbitra- ton was agreed to by both parties but we differed as to the method of choosing an umpire. It Is now proper for the oper- ators to state what they did this morning in regard to the proposition"
 B. F. Roden, the president of the oper- ators' association arose and read the foi- lowing proposition, submitted by the oper- ators:
 Operators Proposition.
 Whereas 1t has been brought to the attention of the Coal Operators associa- ton that it was probable that the mine workers convention objected to the prop ositiop laid before the last joint conven- ton by the operators, the grounds that the operators would have two votes in the selection of one of the three par ties named in their proposition; therefore be it
 Resolved, That the proposition made by the operators to the joint convention at it's last meeting be and Is hereby amended so as to allow the arbitrators named by the miners to select any one of the three judges named in the proposition without reference to the arbitrators named by the operators
 MT. Roden stated that the operators were anxious to do everything possible to bring about peace, and so they made this proposition, which in his opinion was the fairest proposition ever made by one body of men to another.
 FairIey Makes Speech. w. R. Fairley then took the floor and said in part: T may say that on Satur- day night I left for my home in high hopes that after the operators had slept on their proposition they would come here with an earnest intention of reaching a settlement. However instead of that, they come and repeat the same old prop osition. They come and tell us that they are offering the fairest proposition that enc man can offer to another. I don't know what MT. Roden may think is a fair proposition. He may think that this is enc, but l don't The operators wish to confine us to three federal judges who sit In Alabama In other words 1t Is the same proposition that President Baer offered to the anthracite miners in Penn sylvania; and l say now that we are not going to accept 1t.
 T understand that much comment has been made because l said on Saturday afternoon that l refused, as I now say that I still refuse, to accept as umpire one of the Federal judges who sit in Ala bama. I have no objection to the fed eral judges as judges. They may be the best and most estimable of men, I object to any of them as arbitrators in this matter. Since Saturday one of these very judges has sent one of his deputies up into the northern part of the state to evict some miners from their homes.
 Time for Plain Speaking.
 "Gentlemen, this is time for plain speaking, and l might just as well say now that we won't trust our interests in the hands of federal judge. They owe their appointments to the corporations, and while they may be good men person. ally. their environment and education have predsposed them to be on the side of capital in any controversy that 1t may have with labor. We don't ask for any particular man. All we want is a fair man. Take him from any rank of life