Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-04-03
MINERS MAY WORK WHERE
AGREEMENTS ARE SIGNED

Try are higher than In the latter.
Mitchell has often intimated this, al
though he has never given any facts
to support the claim.
1T was claimed before the strike
commission that the earnings of the
anthracite miners were less than
those, in the bituminous field and SIM
liar assertions have since been made.
The commission found that there has
been a failure of testimony to support
this proposition"
1t is established by official figures
that the earnings of all classes of
workers are much higher in the an.
thracite than in the bituminous indus.
try"
The statement quotes from the re.
port of the secretary of internal af-
fairs of the state of Pennsylvania
showing that during 1904 the anthra-
cite miners averaged 231 days work
at $2.71 per day against 1873 days at
1928 for bituminous miners.
The statement also gives a compari-
son of the annual earnings for all
classes of labor showing that the aver
age earnings of anthracite miners ex-
coed those of the bituminous miners
by 63.75 per cent.
"Under these circumstances" the
statement concludes, there is no
ground for the anthracite workers
claim that their compensation is in.
adequate"
Indianapolis, Ind, March 31.-The
national convention Of the United Mine
Workers of America adjourned sine
die yesterday, after authorizing the ma
tional and district officers to sign the
wage agreement with any coal opera
tor who would agree to pay the scale
of 1906, or it's equivalent for two
years. There is an advance Of 5.55
per cent in all the districts except the
southwest, composed Of Missouri, Kan
sas and Indian Territory, where an adj
vance of three cents a ton is demand
ed, as the 1903 scale is practically in
force in that district.
Refuse Arbitration:
The convention declined an. offer
made by the operators to submit the
wage differences to arbitration. Where
q coal operator owns. mines in differ
for all the properties at the some time
USlOlC lilly Will NC dllOWSu W Iul.
The action of the convention will
bring out of the mines tonight sos, 500
men in the anthracite and bituminous
fields. These will remain on strike
until settlements have been signed by
districts or with Individual operators.
The only miners at work Monday
will be $4,000 men in New River, Po-
cahontas, Fairmont and Central fields
of West Virginia, where it was agreed
to remain at work until the convention
of that district, now in session at
Charleston. has reached a disagree
ment with the operators. The men now
ordered out will return to work as soon
as the scale is signed.
$4,000 to Return to Work.
1t is anticipated the scale will be
signed in a few days by the employers
Of $4,000 miners. The iPttsburg Coal
company and F. l.. Robbins of west
ern Pennsylvania, who also owns
mines in Ohio, Illinois and West Vir-
ginia, will, it is expected, sign at once,
together with a number of Independent
operators. The miners expect to get
the advance soon in all Indiana mines
south of the Baltimore and Ohio rail
road, in a number of central Indiana
mines, in one-half of the Illinois mines
and in a large percentage of the mines
Of Ohio.
The Iowa mine owners also are ex-
pected to accept this chance to con-
tinue operations.
Little Danger Of Coal Famine.
President Mitchell believes the eff
feet Of this will be more important
than appears at first thought.
ut means that the strike, within
two weeks, will be minimized by 60
per cent" he declared.
Mr.. Mitchell bases his prediction on
the theory that scores of mine owners
in every state will be forced, by the
opening of the Robbins mines, to oper.
ate their shafts in order to avert ruin
by loss of trade.
The opening of the Robbins mines
alone e the employment of %, 00O
miners in Pennsylvania, Ohio and ILL.
nois. Enough others, Mr.. Mitchell be.
%lieves, will run to furnish work for
100, 900 more men. The weakening, he
says. will not come Immediately, but
soon.
If President Mitchell's theory is cor.
rect there is little probability of a
coal famine. If, as he asserts, go per
cent of the bituminous mines will be
operating within the next two weeks.
it is possible, beyond an advance in
the price of fuel, the diminished supply
hardly will be felt.
Mitchell Wins His Way.
Mitchell labored zealously with the
miner delegates to bring about this re.
suit. When reluctancy to take this step
which might disrupt the national or.
%ganization, appeared in the convention
the leader threw his own weight into
the scales and turned the tide of sen
timent.
at is for the best interests of our
! selves and the country" he told the
miners.
In the long and bitter discussion Of
the question whether or not to accept
the desired increase where it was of
fered President Mitchell was steadfast
for acceptance. He argued for it elo
quently and finally threatened. Ulti
mately President Mitchell won his way
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