Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-03-19
Mine Workers President Replies to Letter
Refusing Demands Of Employees.
SAYS PROPOSED SCALE IS REASONABLE
Wages Asked Not as High as Are Paid in
Other Coal Fields,
REFERS TO FINDING OF COMMISSION
ArbitratOs Did Not Regard It's Verdict as
Permanent.
iEFERs TO FINDING OF COMMISSION
ANOTHER CONFERENCE IS SUGGESTED
Miners Leader Calls Attention 10
Vast Interests Involved and says
An Agreement should he
Reached.

lNDlANAPOBIS, Ind, March lS.-Presi-
dent John Mitchell OF the United Mine
Workers Of America has mailed 60 George
F. Baer chairman OF the Anthracite Coal
Operators committee his reply to the com
! mittees communication rejecting the de-
mands Of the miners Organization.
The letter, dated March H. follows.
Referring again to your communication
dated March 10, with accompanying docr-
ments, ana to our reply thereto | write to
say that have submitted to our committee
the answer made by your committee To the
propositions presented by us. II IS unnec-
essary to state that we were koenly dis
/ appointed to learn that our demands were
rejected In toto. and that our arguments in
favor Of them had received so little consid-
GRAFTON at your hands that they were prac-
| tically ignored in your reply to us
we have again reviewed the scale pre-
sented for your consideration. have COM
/ pared II with the scale of wages paid for
similar classes OF labor In other coal pro-
ducing states and districts. and we are sat-
! ished beyond tho peradventure OF doubt
! that the wages proposed are not In excess
| of-indeed, that they are not so high as
the the wages paid IN the bituminous mining
districts of our country.
! Judging from the language employed in
your answer to us. IL is perfectly evident
that we failed to make clear or that you
| propositions submitted by us.
| Mindful of Public interests.
We wish to assure you that we are not
unmindfui OF the great public interests In
I
! relations, neither are we unappreciative OF
/ the splendid efforts made by the Anthracite
| lationship between us that would insure a
| Just and permanent peace; but II you will
! refer to the award Of that commission you
| VIII find that the commission itself was in
doubt as to the permanency OF It's findings
| and expressed the hope that at the eNpira-
! tion Of the award the relations OF operator
| and employe would have 80 far improved
| as to make impossible that such a condition
| as existed through the country in cOnsc-
gion could again occur. We had entertained
the hope that our adherence to the letter
Of local or general strikes during the last
| three years would have appealed more
strongly TO your confidence and that we
might reasonably expect serious considera-
tlon OF our claims Mt this time.
Farther Conference Asked.
But It would seom from, reading your re-
ply that al nur propositions have been re-
jected and thai your final decision has been
given We trust that this conception OF
your intention IL incorrect. It is our opln-
ION that neither you nor we can aftord 10
ner. So far as we and the interests we rep
resent are concerned, we are not willing 20
accept any share Of the responsibility thu
meeting should be held and that we shoulB
strive earnestly and consctenuously to rec
oncle our differences While II may be
| true that on the part OF the operators there
has been no serious cause for complaint
during the last three years, we wish 20 as
do not reflect our views. Not only has there
been criticism among the miners but what
is more important, there exists much cause
for criticism and complaint. To such an
extent is this true that we feel II inculn-
bent upon us TO say that we cannot with
any degree Of contentmcnt or satisfaction
| continue to work under present conditions.
j However, we repeat that the interests in
4 voived arc SO vast that we are not willing
to break OFF negotiations without first max
ing further efforts TO reconcile our diner-
enoes. We, therefore, propose that further
conference or conferences be held between
now and the first OF April.
II this suggestion meets with your ap-
proval, we shall be pleased to arrange with
you a date on which our joint committees
D may convene.
PittsburE Operators start west,
PITTSBURG. March ls.-Forty five coal
= operators of western Pennsylvania and
eastern Ohio left here tonight for In
? dianapolis Tomorrow afterHoon the party
will open a conference at Indianapolis to
decide whether or not the miners shall
get an advance and the amount to be given.
This conference will probably end Wednes-
r day afternoon, when the operators will
meet the miners in convention.
One of the operators said tonight that
he thought the miners would be given an
: increase of 5 per cent. but not any more.
Alberta MIners on strike.
GREAT FALLS, Mont, March r.-The
. | Alberta, Canada, has caused 30 much un-
easiness among the citizens that they
have called upon the dominion government
to render assistance. The Northwes
) mounted police has been placed in control
OF the town and martisI law practically
q prevails. This action appears to have ir
ritated the miners still further and ths
: citizens fear grave disorders.
y More than 800 men, members OF the union
a are on strike and there are still 100 Al
! work under police protection. These are
k greeted daily by vOlleys of snowballs ant
J. stones as they go TO work. Last evening
an explosion of dynamite occurred in thu
n outskirts of the town, but no damage wal
e done 1t is thought to have been acct
d dental.
n H. l.. Sherman, district president Of tn
Is Mine Workers. says the strike may be eN
d tended to other coal mines I'm Alberta anS
British Columbia unless an agreement &
r reached.
n Many of the smaller towns In Alberta arr
[, now on the verge of coal famine. Al
Il shipments TO outside POINTS have beer
stopped.