Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-04-02
HOPES ENTERTAINED FOR
SETILEMEIlIIil OF MINING
SlTUA7 I)N THIS MONTH
of days to constitute a full months
work under our next agreement?
Operators Official Statement.

as tney see 1T. ThlS statement, writ
ten largely by Hon. H. L. Waterman,
of Ottumwa, is as follows:
The miners side of the scale COM
mlttee, after various propositions from
each side, moved that the following
propositions be submitted to arbitra
tion
First. What shall be rate of, wages
for drivers, tripriders and cagers in
sub-districts one and four of District
49, U. M. w. of "A.
Second. What shall be the rate of
wages to be paid outside day labor in
District 13.
Third. What shall be the price of
powder sold to the miners of District
13, during the life of this agreement.
Fourth. What shall be the hours per
day for engineers, and the number Of
days to constitute a full months work
under our next agreement.
The operators stated that in accord
ance with the Indianapolis settlement,
which was ratified by referendum
vote, and to which referendum the
miners of Iowa were party, that there
should be a reduction of one-half of
mining. labor and dead work, except
drivers, who shall be reduced the
same as track-layers.
There being no dispute as to the
amount of last years advance, there
should be no difficulty in determining
what is one-half of said advance, which
is the agreed amount of the reduction
and hence, they know Of no question
that should be submitted to arbitra-
tion. But if the miners insist there be
proper subjects for arbitration, that
is the question to be arbitrated, and
especially as the joint scale committee
has already appointed a sub committee
of three operators and three miners to
determine what questions should be,
and in what form, submitted to arbitra-
tion.
Said committee has. failed to agree
and has been discharged. The opera
tors then offered the following as an
amendment to the miners proposition:
That the questions be referred to an
arbitrator, to decide whether such
questions, or any of them are proper
subjects for arbitration, and if all or
any of them are proper subjects for
arbitration, then in what form they be
submitted to an arbitrator.
The operators fel confident that their
offer to arbitrate all of the demands Of
the miners in the manner above set
forth, is a concession that they should
not be asked to make, but make it in
order to secure a settlement and avoid
a conflict which will bring disaster to
all concerned. les4s
I They object to arbitration OF these
questions as they are all intended to re-
duce the amount of the reduction, which
the referendum fixed and provided
should be granted. The miners have
all the chances of gaining and the
operators none and they are under the
surrounding circumstances, not proper
subjects for arbitration, and feel con-
f1dent of showing before an impartial
t,,I,, Z. l.. q IL
miners believe they are proper sub
jects for arbitration, they should not
hesitate to have that question impair
TALLY determined.
They do not think 1t fair PROPOSE
ton to be asked to arbitrate the ques-
tion of whether they should keep what
they believe to be clearly their own,
but in the interest of harmony they
have consented to submit such ques-
tions of ownership to arbitration.
The demands of the miners, if grant
ed, would change prices and conditions
that have been established and MAIN
tained on the present basis for several
years.
Miners Will Reply.
President White, for the mine work
ers, said that the above statement is
not altogether as the miners view the
situation but because of the execu-
tive committee meeting said the min
ers are not prepared to make state
ment of their side of the controver-
sy at once.
The miners say that they have not
refused to arbitrate the question of
wages at all times, insisting they were
questions for arbitration, and that the
operators have avoided the issue by
pretending that the questions to be ar
bitrated should first be determined by
arbitration.
John Reese's Views.
Commissioner John P Reese said
last night: "It is plainly up to the
miners. In one way the matter need
not be looked upon as serious strike.
1t is sort of friendly truce in which
the miners will agree to keep the
mines in good condition with the un-
derstanding that the operators will
not employ non-union men for the pre-
sent. The operators have made the
best advances, which places the mat.
ter entirely at the disposal of the min
ers what the next movement shall be.
The settlement must come from the
luS JOluL COulGI6uC6 mas dQ
journed but may be called again at
some future time"
Coal Must Go Up.
"Will there be any advance in the
price of coal?" was asked.
There must be. There is practical
ly no coal on hand and an advance
may be expected in a short time
Inquiry yesterday among the local
dealers showed that no advance has
been made as yet, although the ac-
tions of the miners are being closely
watched for any indication of a
lengthy strike.
What About Credit?
At the meeting of the operators yes.
terday afternoon, no reference was
made to the credit to be given the
striking miners. A report was circu.
lated yesterday afternoon to the effect
that the operators had decided to ex-
tend no credit to the miners at the
company stores. This report was con.
tradicted last evening by Mr.. Reese,
who said that this matter had not been