Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1904-03-10

,
willing to come to,an agreement on the
basis of the decision reached in the
eastern competitive field.
Iowa in New Position.
The action of the miners in the east
in leaving to a referendum vote the
question of the acceptance or rejec-
tion of the recommendation of Presi-
dent John Mitchell is recognized as
placing Iowa In much different posi-
tion than in times past
According to the resolution passed
by the miners yesterday the time for
counting the votes was fixed for March
II and lis the opinion of the miners
and operators Of Iowa that an ad-
journment should be taken until that
time. The miners in Iowa, Indiana,
Illinois, Ohio, western and central
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan,
western Kentucky and West Virginia
numbering about $4,000, will vote on
this proposition.
Not Treated Right.
AS apparent at the joint conference
today, the Iowa miners and operators
feel that they have not been treated
fairly by the miners and operators of
the eastern fields, in being forced to
vote on the proposition Of reduction.
Though they have time and again ask.
ed for admittance to the indianapolis
conference they have been repeatedly
refused. Now they are compelled to
take up the differences in the eastern
field and vote thereon.
Not Sanguine of Success.
The officers of the Iowa miners are
anything but sanguine as to the out.
come of the action the Iowa miners
will take on the proposition to accept
the reduction. In the joint confer.
ence this morning j. B.. Ream stated
that in his opinion the Iowa miners
would reject the proposition. There is
no denying that the situation in
Iowa is exceedingly critical.
AT the meeting Of the joint confer
ence this morning addresses were
made by H. Z. Waterman, John P
Reese, John P. White, Edwin Perry
and others. John T.. Clarkson, the
first president of the Iowa miners or.
ganization was present and talked of
the success Of wage agreements and
urged upon those present that these
be continued. Shortly before IL o'clock
the first session of the joint confer.
ence adjourned.
This afternoon the operators are
holding a closed session for the pur.
pose Of instructing their delegates to
the joint conference regarding the
proposition for the adjournment Of the
scale committee until after the refer.
endum vote has been taken. The scale
committee reconvened at 2 o'clock.
The conditions in Iowa alone are ia
vorable for an early settlement While
the miners insist that the day wage
scale should be uniform and that some
other matters should be adjusted in
their favor. the operators have good
arguments. to advance in favor of
changes which they ask for their own
benefit. 1t would take some days, but
not weeks, to thresh out these matters
and make a scale which in general
would not vary much from the present
one, if the Indianapolis situation were
cleared But until March IL, when the
ballots are counted by the national tell
| Sl . dL llluldudpOllo, tllC lOWduS Cdl uOl
know whether to base their scale upon
the present one or upon a reduction.
Should the referendum vote result in
an acceptance Of the reduction, which
is confidently expected by the Iowa op
orators and many OF the miners, then
the Iowa operators will feel justified in
asking a similar reduction, but should
the miners disregard the advice OF
their national officers and vote to
strike the Iowa situation, will indeed
be a complex One.,
Reasons for Averting Strike.
| Many reasons can be advanced why
strike is to be averted in the east
ern field. In the first place, the min
ers' national organization has jus
passed through costly struggle in the
anthracite fields, where the nationa
officers were wholly in accord with
the strikers. This was won, but only
at cost which left the organization ir
not too good condition to enter upon
another fight.
The Colorado strikers are now re
ceiving financial assistance from the
miners from the entire east and no one
can fortell the length of time required
| 3 :
to settle this trouble nor the final re
suit of it.. Then, should the eastern
competitive field see suspension o1
work, the only organized states of i'm
portance which would be left at work
would be Missouri, Kansas, Michigan
Kentucky and Iowa. 1t costs money
! to conduct strike and none knows
this more than the miner. With these
few states bearing the financial bur
4 den of the struggle, and with theil
scales practically undecided (Missour
and Kansas settle in September,) the
success of the strike would be hare
and almost impossible.
Another. element to be considered il
that in many of the mines of Wes
Virginia, state which produces some
of the best coal in the union and pro