Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-04-03
conference FAILS;
STRIKE SEEMS NEAR
MINERS HOLD MEETING TO DE-
eide UPON POLICY TO BE
PURSUED.
OPERATORS APPEAL TO
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
Ask Appointment of Commission to
Investigate Matters in Dispute
Mitchell Favors Plan to Split Coal
Mine Owners.
indianapolis, Ind, March 31.-The
joint meetings of the bituminous coal
operators and miners OF the central
competitive district composed of west
ern Pennsylvania, Ohio, hHliana and
Illinois, and of the southwestern dis
trict, composed of Missouri, Kansas,
Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Indian
territory, reached a final disagreement
Thursday on the wage scale to go into
effect at the expiration of the present !
scale on April 1, and the conference
of the central district adjourned sine
lie, while the joint scale committee of
the southwestern district decided to re- !
port disagreement to the joint con-
ference of that district Friday. 1t is .
expected that this conference will at |
once adjourn sine die without an !
agreement. The action of the two con- !
ferences will directIy cause the suspen-
sion from work after Saturday of 49,
600 miners unless something unfore-
seen, like submission OF the differences
to arbitration should intervene, and in
directly will affect 206,50O more miners,
not including it's effect on 100000
miners in the anthracite field, who
were on Thursday night ordered to
suspend work Monday.
Appeal to President.
After the adjournment of the con-
ference the coal operators of Illinois,
Indiana, Ohio and those of western
Pennsylvania, who have opposed in
the joint conference of the central
competitive district the payment of
any increase in wages to the miners,
met at the Claypool hotel and passed
resolution requesting the president
to appoint commission to investigate
all matters which in the judgment Of
such commission have an important
bearing upon or relation to the scale
of wages which should be paid all
classes of labor in and about the coal
mines of the territory involved and
other conditions now imposed and in
sisted on by the United Mine Work
ers of America, such commission to
report to the president of the United
States its findings of facts, together
with its recommendations.
Miners Hold Convention.
A national convention of the miners
was held Friday to decide whether
miners will be allowed to sign the ad-
vance scale demanded by them, and re-
fused by all the operators with few
exceptions, and go to work where the
advance is offered. Operators employ
ing $4,000 miners in the central COM
petitve field have openly offered to pay
the advance during the joint confer
ence sessions. The wage scales of all
miners, both anthracite and bitumin-
GUS, will expire Saturday except those
in Tennessee and Alabama, where the
scale will expire in September. A ma
tional official of the United Mine
Workers said Thursday night: "It is
foregone conclusion that all the miners
whose scales expire Saturday will
cease work until officially notified by
the national and district officers that
contract arrangements have been made
governing their scales"
Meet to Determine Policy.
President Mitchell, in calling the
convention to order, said: Gentle
men, the purpose in asking for a sep
arate convention Of the miners is to
determine the policy that we shall
now pursue. The secretary has a
copy Of a communication addressed
to the president Of the United States
districts and I think 1t we'll that it
now be submitted for your informa-
ton"
Secretary W. B. Wilson read the res
olutions adopted Thursday night by
operators of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio
and western Pennsylvania asking the
president of the United States to ap-
point commission to investigate min
ing conditions.
dent Mitchell took the floor. He said
1t had been stated that his attitude
had not been made known to the min.
ers. Said he:
"You shall know what policy be-
1ieve would best conserve your in.
terests. ] am concerned for the PEG.
pie who mine coal and who depend
upon coal mining for their livelihood.
! am also concerned about the PEG.
pie Of this country. believe that the
best interests Of the miners would be
conserved by signing the scale wher-
ever it Is paid. I know how popular
1t is to talk strike, but also know
what a difference there is when pas
sion has cooled. know there have
been large companies who have op,
posed an advance who will not wait
ten days before signing the scale.
It Is for us to decide what will be
best for the interests we represent
and what is our duty to the country.
My best judgment is that we should
make settlements with those operators
who will pay our scale and employ
union men. shall not be a party
to and there shall be no signature
from the national Office attached tt
any contract if the Perry resolution
is adopted that does not carry with
II the employment of union men the
scale Of 1903 and in the southwest an
advance Of three cents per ton at the
passing points, run-of-mine and the