Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-07
Attempt to Agree Upon
Scale Given
Up.
CONFERENCE FAILURE
Mitchell May Resign if
Advice is Re-
jeCted.

indianapolis. Ind. March THE
| United Mine Workers of America in
convention. voted to refer the final
decision as to the acceptance of the
wage offer of operators to the locals.
The vote of the locals will be cast
March Is and the result will be count
ed March Il. The voting will be done
by the miners of Indiana, Illinois,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland. Michi-
gan, western Kentucky and West Vir-
ginia. Mitchell, in his circular To the
miners, will strongly urge the accept
ance of the proposition. 1t is rumor-
ed today if his advice is not taken he
will tender his resignation as presi-
dent of the organization.
Joint Conference Ends.
Indianapolis, March Z. - The Joint
conference between the coal miners
and operators of the central competi-
tive district has adjourned without
reaching an agreement as to the scale
of wages for the year commencing
April /. This is the second time there
has been failure to agree. The op-
orators offered scale for two years
which was equivalent to 5.5 per cent.
reduction and the men in convention
rejected it i'll spite of the advice OF
Mitchell and the other national off,
GERS present to accept. The reason was
that many of the delegates were bound
by instructions to reject q reduction.
May BE a Rererendum.::
The miners convention met this
morning to hear the report of d special
slider the situation and reject or adopt
the report as the convention chooses.
1t will also be determined whether to
refer the matter to the locals. Presi-
dent Mitchell said last night that the
situation as between the miners and
operators of the central competitive
district had not changed since the ad- \
iournment of the joint conference.
Question for tie Convention.
"The special committee" said he,
(which was appointed yesterday by
the miners organization to consider the
met this morning aud APP
pointed u subcommittee TO frame n
formal statement OF the position which
the United Mine Workers will now
take. This subcommittee Is at work
and will tomorrow morning report 10
the full committee, which will submit
its report TO the miners in natiOnai
at 8 O'Clock. 1t will then be
for the convention to ratify or reject
the report of the committee"
Leaders Holding Conferences.
''Will it be possible to submit the
final settlement of the question IA to
the acceptance of the operators cU.n-
promise proposition to Il referendum
vote of the locals in the districtT"
Mitchell was asked. II don't know"
replied Mitchell. THAT will be deter
mined later" There was Il conference
between Il. L. Robbins, leader of the
opera tors, and President Mitchell.
Neither would say what, If anything,
was accomplished toward a reopenihg
IF negotiations. Later in the day Pres
dent Mitchell and many other leaders
If the miners held a conference, bun
he result was not stated.
District Demands an Increase.
Altoona, Pa, March 7.-Sub-district
No. 1, of district No. 2, United Mine
Workers, of the central Pennsylvania
1ltumlnous field, has unanimously
ldopted a resolution insisting on the
of GO cents a ton for pick
mining, 50 cents a ton for machine
mining IAN increase of 30 per cen+.
,ver the old rate, and an Increase for
Irivers and day labOrers. The annual
district convention Will be held here
lext week. The delegates have been
to resist any reduction even
0 the point of striking. The central
delegates led the fight
or no reduction at the indianapolis
onvention.