The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1904-02-05
FAILED TO AGREE.
The Joint Scale Committee Made
a Report.
Il Is Feared There Will Be Suspen.
sion of Work in the Bituminous
Field, Which Would Be
National Calamity.

Indianapolis, Ind, Feb. 4.-The meet
ing of the operators and miners in
joint conference Wednesday was call
ed Wednesday morning in order that
the joint scale committee might report
its progress and ask for additional in
structions. After the reading of the
scale committees report Mr.. Robbins,
the leader Of the operators, moved an
adjournment, after appointing a COM
mittee composed of one operator and
one miner from each state to fix the
date for the next meeting of the joint
conference.
This committee will meet in Indian
apolis on February Is to arrange for
another meeting of the joint confer
ence.
There was great excitement among
the delegates Wednesday when it was
seen that the moment for a declaration
of disagreement had arrived. The
scale committee reported the present
wage scale as their ultimatum and the
operators insisting that nothing less
than the 1902 scale, which is equiva-
lent to reduction of II per cent in
wages, it is claimed, would satisfy
them. Mr. F. L. Robbins, for the OPP
orators, arose and quietly moved that
inasmuch as it seemed impossible to
reach an agreement that adjournment
be taken after appointing joint COM
mittee of eight, consisting of one min
er and one operator from each Of the
four states forming the competitive
district, to fix date for future con-
vention President Mitchell quietly
seconded the motion, expressing the
hope that an agreement would be
reached. The convention then adj
journed, the operators going into ex-
ecutive session.
Prospects for an agreement have
been gloomy for two days. The 353
operators and 557 miners have declar-
ed they would never accept the terms
offered by the opposite side. When
the adjournment was taken Wednes-
day it was the belief that it would be
for 80 days.
The possibility Of final disagree
ment and suspension of work is a
topic of conversation among the min
ers and operators. Leaders on both
sides refused to go into discussion of
the general effect of a suspension of
operation on April /.
"All I will say at this time" said
W. D. Ryan, secretary-treasurer of the
Illinois miners and chairman of the
joint scale committee, sis that a sus-
pension in the bituminous fields would
be a national calamity, and if contin-
ued for any length of time would, in
comparison of effects, dwarf the an
thracite strike into insignificance.
Every effort should be made to pre-
vent it. By that 1 do not mean to say
that the miners are afraid of such a
conflict, or that their demands should
not be strictly enforced. l do not be-
lieve it wise at this time further to
dicuss what the effect would be-"
The operators are as reticent as are
the miners. w. S. Boyle, the Indiana
operator, said:
"This is not the time to discuss such
questions, but 1 will say this much,
the country will have almost 60 days
in which to prepare for a suspension,
if it comes. The other districts pro-
duce a great deal of coal, and do not
think that a suspension in April would
cause great inconvenience"