The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-31
MINERS AND OPERATORS
ARE RECUPERATING TO-DAY
Scale Committee VIII Meet Again
at 9 O'clock Tomorrow
Morning.
BOTH SIDES ARE ALERT
So Far There Is No Indication
that Either Miners or Mine
Owners Will Recede.
9TH SIDES ARE ALERT

Coal operators and miners of the Illinois,
Indiana, Ohio and western Pennsylvania
districts. who are in the city attending the
annual joint wage conference, will spend
to-day resting and enjoying themselves,
shutting out for the time being all thoughts
of the wage scale, around which the fight
revolves. Indeed very little was done yes
terday and practically the whole day was
spent lounging in the hotel Hobbies or trav-
cling about the city. Many of the oper-
ators left the city yesterday and last night
to spend Sunday at their homes and to re-
turn tomorrow morning, when the
vention will again get down to work
Nothing was on the slate yesterday for
the convention proper. meeting of the
scale committee was called and held at
o'clock in the morning but it proved to be
a short and uneventful meeting. The work
done was along the line of organization,
after which adjournment was taken until
o'clock tomorrow morning The organ
iZatiOn of the committee, yesterday was
completed by the election of w. ID. Ryan,
OF the Illinois miners, as chairman and G.
l.. Scroggs, of the Illinois operators as sec
rotary, with w. B. Wilson, secretary
treasurer of the United Mine Workers, and
f. Nj. Brooks, of the Ohio operators as as
sistant secretaries. The postponement of
the meetings of the scale committee was
due TO a great extent to the call of Frank
l.. Robbins, leader of the operators, from
the city 1t was necessary that he return
to Pittsburg TO attend a meeting of the d
rectors of the Pittsburg Coal Company.
The part that Mr.. Robbins plays in the
annual conference is gigantic. He is con-
sidered the one man that makes it possible
for the scale TO be accepted or rejected. He
Is looked upon by the miners as the great
est force among the operators and the most
capable man with whom they have to deal.
For the reason that the Pittsburg Coal
Company owns so much coal land in the
competitive field, Mr.. Robbins is vested
with great deal of authority.
WATCHED WITH INTEREST.
The outcome of the present conference is
being watched with keen interest through
out the country. The men involved say that
they have no idea what the issue will be.
IL Is understood that the operators are
more in earnest about their demands for
reduction than ever before and that they
will fight for it. The miners too, are firm
in the demand for their scale of a strictly
run-Ofmine basis fiat differential of
cents and uniform wage for outside en-
ployment: The battle for the demands is
scarcely begun. The strenuous fight Is TO
follow. Most of this takes place in the
cloistered meetings of the scale committee,
where the utmost secrecy is maintained.
More or less apprehension is being shown
by both sides. Should it happen that no
scale can be agreed upon it will mean
great strike in the competitive field. The
miners cannot well afford to strike and
1t is probable such condition would work
great hardships on them. The coal COM
panies declare that unless there is a re-
duction In wages they cannot continue to
operate at profit.
The work of the joint scale will be taken
up tomorrow morning, and as soon the
committee has made any progress on it the
convention would be called. Although IL
would not seem important to hold the
meetings of the scale committee behind
closed doors, nevertheless il is done with
almost painful care. Before a meeting is
begun an inspection of the hall and adjoin-
ing rooms is MADE TO see that no caves
dropping is going on. During the course of
the meetings no member is allowed TO take
notes, nor is a stenographer employed to
tranScribe the minutes of the meeting
Another one of the operators who takes
an active part in the annual conferences
is G. w. Schluederberg, of Pittsburg He
has been attending the conferences ever
since the movement started, and has always
been recognized as one of the leaders This
year he represents the Pennsylvania oper-
ators on the scale committee, and is ex-
pected to play even more important part
than in former years.