New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-17
SOFT COAL MEN FIRM.
Nay Secede from Union if Demands
4re Unsettled.

The soft coal miners It was stated on good
authority yesterday, will insist on the observ-
ance OF the Ryan resolution providing that the
anthracite miners cannot make an agreement
with the operators unless the soft coal miners
gain their demands. and vice versa The two
classes Of miners were in separate unions until
Mitchell brought about their amalgamation sew
eral years ago. II the anthracite miners sign
an agreement. leaving the demands Of the soft
coal miners still unsettled. the latter. it is now
believed. VIII secede and form q separate union
again.
The Ryan resolution, which was passed al the
national convention Of the miners. makes II
practically incumbent on the anthracite miners
TO help the soft coal miners TO win. The latter
are not in the position TO submit their demands
as body as the anthracite miners are at pres
ent Another question which may prove serious
is The general eight-hour workday demand This
Is conceded 10 be a difficult proposition
The subcommittee Of seven miners appointed
at the conference with the anthracite coal presi-
dents on Thursday as part Of the joint commit
tee OF fourteen. 10 try 10 reach a settlement Of
the demands OF the anthracite miners, may take
two or three days 10 finish their work they as
serted yesterday. Their meetings will be held
in the Ashland House. and they began work
soon after q. m yesterday.
Matters went on smoothly until the question
Of The eight hours demand came up, and II
proved snag az once. The miners already. as
is known, work more than eight hours. and as
the operators have already repeatedly stated
that the general eight-hour demand could not
be granted, the committee hitched on this
point. Some OF the committee thought il should
be given UP altogether. If they expected any kind
Of settlement II was generally conceded that
the demand for a general elght-hour workday
for the outside men would be met with fat
refusal The outside operators. one Of the mem
oers Of the committee said. are about one-third
Of the mine workers. They include breaker
boys. slate pickers drivers and others employed
about the washeries
II was admitted ty one Of the members IF the
committee that Mitchell was correct in saving
that the demands were already in shape before
the conference on Wednesday. They were not
submitted at the first conference" ne said he
cause. in his belief. Mitchell wanted TO avoid a
strike"
AS soon as all the demands are agreed on"
ne said. "A committee Of the operators viii be
Informed and some .irne next week there VIII
be joint conference
The members Of the scale committee began to
lesNe me city yesterday. II is expected that all
vi" 60 before tomorrow. a. everything has
been left In the hands OF the committee of seven
Y.
Among them was Louis L. HammerIing. who has
number OF Polish newspapers tn he MINING
districts lie had a snort talk with Mitchell
Ihere was good deal Of talk among the nj
luminous operators yesterday about The p,-a-
resolutions on the line that il the scft coal
miners strike, the anthracite miners win strike
also representative of the Bitun1inous coal
Trade Association which takes I'm most NJ the
large soft coal operators and will have its an
ID rftt
evening:
There seems To be good deal Of r,is,,r5a
standing about the Ryan resolution the soe,
coal miners during the strike Of 500 stood ~,
the anthracite men. The soft coal men are IN
"oi se Poslloh than the anthracite miners now
IN a measure, as they cannot confer with an
organized body OF employers as the anthracita
miners representatives do. During the
strike Of 1902 there was such demand TO- So
coal mat hundreds OF small operators started
Collieries ~ 'o'
They made money during the strike hut afra,
the strike The demand for soft coal went down
ana The whole soft coal trade was suffering from
over competition In many Of the mines the
men are not working two DAVIS IN n u-aeLg
me sort coal miners depend the anthracite
miners 10 help them 10 win. II is all nonsense
4 10 talk about the Ryan resolution being an
eiasuc one. which be easiIy rescinded ~
me anthracite miners can make a settlement
anu sign an agreement without any reference Ia
4 the soft coal men, The soft coal men viii y. -,
Z IN arms whether the Ryan resolution IS resctrd
: ed or not. II Will mean IN fsrt = -. ilIi-
union. 9P''' III me
ne scales committee remained in session All
me evening al the Ashland House Beyond saw
hs tnat The committee had not finished its
~oFk mitchell would not talk He couId M, g.,
when IL would finish It's work b,,t ,bs, :, ~ ssy
axe some uile. he was asked n dsen. -
-Nsal resolution but refused do so and vvo,,id
MOI discuss the Dolan irabrogIio.