Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-04-03
EXPECTED THAT SCALE OF 1908
WILL BE ACCEPTED BY oP-
ORATORS OF STATE
CONFERENCE TUESDAY
Scale Committee to Meet to Decide
Upon Details-Miners Will Furnish
Protection for Mines-Henry Phil
lips Says Operators Have Not Con-
sidered 1908 Scale.

Des Moines, March Stat the
Joint session Of Iowa mine work
ers and operators today a scale
committee was appointed to meet
IN Des Moines next Tuesday and
w years. The action means that
the 1903 scale will probably be ac-
cePted by the operators of Iowa
with only the details to be ar
ranged.
Des Moines, March 31.-John p.
Reese, commissioner of the Iowa Coal
Operators, association, and Senator
Waterman of Ottumwa, leader forothe
operators on the floor of the joint con-
ference, in response to queries coming
from the miners side of the house,
yesterday afternoon replied that the
Iowa operators are ready to negotiate
q scale for Iowa. REGARDLESS of what
may be done in Illinois.
After a conference yesterday after.
moon in which President John P.
White. who. is in indianapolis, was
consulted owe the telephone, the min
ers arranged definitely to provide for
the protection of the mine property
during the interim which may elapse
between the expiration Of the present
working agreement and the securing
of a new n That is, the men en-
played about the mine who take care
OF its machinery and it's plant, will be
allowed to continue work pending the
signing of a new scale. This arrange.
ment was announced late last evening.
This adjustment followed the re-
ceipt of a message from Indianapolis
to the effect that the Perry resolution
permitting the miners to negotiate set
Elements in the several districts. and
which amounts to a RECESSION of the
Ryan resolution demanding that all
! districts refuse to make a scale until
an agreement is reached for all Of
! them, had carried in the miners cor.
.vention there.
The Iowa joint conference was in
session in an effort to secure action
on a motion put by the operators side
of the house, pledging the miners to
furnish men to protect the mine prop.
critics against damage during a sus'
pension of a settlement.
ne way IL Happened.
Senator Waterman and Commission
er Reese were pressing a vote on the
question and Secretary Perry and
Vice President White, for the miners,
were urging postponement of action
until 10 o'clock today.
Both parties had already been ad.
! vised of the RECESSION Of the Ryan res
o%lution, but the miners branch first
wanted official confirmation and ad.
vice from President John White, who
is in indianapolis. The operators
were %contending that the action might
as well be taken now. while the min
ers were urging that it made little diff
ference whether the step was taken
al once or I lis morning. Mr.. White
put the question point blank and de-
manded to know if the operators were
willing to negotiate a scale %independ-
ent of any action that may be taken
with reference to Illinois. Messrs.
Waterman and Reese jumped to their
feet and both replied that the Iowa
operators want a scale and will nego-
tiate one. Asked il they are willing
to concede the demand for an increase
their reply was that a demand has not
been made of them as yet so they
could not make reply.
Operators Terms in Doubt.
Operators were not prepared to say
last night what terms they are willing
to make to avoid a suspension and
shut down in the Iowa field They are
unanimous, however, in expressing the
opinion that the miners at Indianapolis
have done the wise thing in resembling
the Ryan resolution and opening the
way to negotiations and they add that
they will try to make a scale. They
will probably stand out for a continue
ton for a year or two years of the
present scale and try to prevent a re
storation of the reduction of two years
ago. They will also insist upon better
provisions for the enforcement of the
scale so as to prevent local shut
downs.
One operator was found who was
willing to make the same advance
PENNSYLVANIA has offered, but the ma
jority we're noncommittal or expressed
the opinion that the situation in Iowa
does not warrant an advance at this
time and urged that the old scale
should be continued for a year at least
There was some talk of a compromise
on the basis of the continuance of the
present scale for n year and of ar
increase of 5.55 per cent for the sec
ond year of a two year contract.
Settlement Next Week.
The joint convention this morning
will probably result in the granting o
men by the miners to take care of The
mines pending the negotiations or 81
long as there is prospect of a settle
ment. Members of the scale commit
tee will probably be appointed. Fol
lowing this an adjournment is expect
ed until Tuesday or Wednesday, as n,
work can be done on Sunday and tn,
miners will not work on Monday
which is the anniversary of the grant
ing to them Of the eight hour day ant
is kept by the miners as a holiday.
The result will be that all work il
the mines will be suspended tonigh
and that until the new scale is mad,