Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-10
MAY INVOLVE THE IOWA DIS.
TRIcT AND OTHER LARGE
FIELDS.
CONFERENCE ADJoURNs
Plain Words Used by Both Operators
. and Miners to Express Their Respec.
tive Positions With Regard to Cues.
tions Now Pending.

Des Moines, March 8. - (SpeciaD -
Although negotiations with the coal
operators of Iowa cannot be again
commenced until March % and may
then end in a strike, the miners of
District 1S are still in session here to-
day considering their demands for a
scale for the coming year and closing
up the business of their convention,
preparatory to going to their homes.
Most of the delegates will return home
tonight to await the result of the refer
endum vote upon the proposition of the
eastern operators for a reduction.
Strike Is Imminent.
No one denies that widespread
strike is imminent in the largest coal
producing states of the union, but in
the joint conference late yesterday aft
ernoon the first mention of the real i'm
port of the matter to Iowa was freely
mentioned by both miners and opera
tors. III. L. Watermon of Ottumwa,
speaking for the operators, warned the
miners that they are a party to the
declaring either for or against strike
against a reduction of wages and he
said that their vote would mean an
expression either for or against a
strike in Iowa.
Follow fasteners Lead.
The operators take the stand that
they have always followed the lead Of
the eastern conference in granting in
creases to the miners and that they
cannot but follow the same lead now.
They said they are willing to, stand by
the decision in regard to the eastern
question but that they are unequiVo.
cally opposed to a strike, either here
or 'o3T III the casts Prominent men on the
operators side, including Commissions
er John F. Reese made speeches,
pleading with the Iowa miners to con
slider carefully before voting against
the acceptance of the reduction pro-
posed by the operators in the eastern
field.
Miners View Question Calmly.
The miners officials also spoke, as
did several others prominent among
their number. The merits of the pro-
posed reduction were not discussed,
both sides agreeing that the time for
this has not yet arrived, but the operat-
ors desired to make the statement in
their own defense while yet there is
time and to ask the miners not to vote
to lay the mines idle and cause de-
crease of mining properties. The SEN
timent among the miners is to the
effect that they will vote for the best
interests of the working classes as a
whole and that they realize the respon-
sibility placed upon them. Few min
hnuya1ror hot -.
Iowa division will go far toward either
accepting or rejecting the proposition
of the operators.
The joint convention yesterday af.
ternoon adjourned in accordance with
the expectations and will reconvene in
Des Moines at 10 o'clock on the morn
ing of March %. At that time the re-
suit OF the referendum vote will be
known.
Ballots are Going Out.
Indianapolis Ind. March 9.-The
ballots on which the miners will vote
on the acceptance or rejection of the
compromise wage scale proposition of
the operators are being sent to, the
locals from national headquarters to-
day. The address of the national Off
GERS to the miners of the country, urg-
ing their acceptance Of the proposition,
was sent out from national headquar-
ters this morning. President Mitchell
said today there had been no change
in the situation.
Michigan Against Acceptance.
Saginaw, Mich, March 9.-United
Mine Workers Of America. Michigan
district. convened here yesterday. Only
routine business has been transacted.
The proposition of the operators at
the Indianapolis convention was dis
cussed informally. The sentiment an
pears against acceptance.