Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-01
THE COAL SITUATION
PRESIDENT MAY APPOINT AN
ARBITRATION COMMISSION.

Whether the reputed latest proposition of
the coal miners to abide by the decision of
commission to be appointed by the Presi-
dent will have any effect on the President
In causing him to answer the propositions
made to him Is not known, but up to yes
terday afternoon 1t was we'll understood
around the White House that the President
was not inclined to bother with the strike
in any shape at this time. He felt that IL
was good Idea for the disputants to set
tie the whole thing among themselves The
alleged proposition of the coal operators,
though. to abide by a decision of com
mission may make 1t necessary for the
President to take action, and send answer
to the effect that he will appoint such a
commission II agreeable to both sides. This
would put the miners in the position of taxi
ing the responsibility of turning down ar
bitration. In the bituminous coal fields,
though, the miners seem to have so much
the best of the proposition that for the
President to pay attention to the offers of
the coal operators might be regarded as an
equivalent of throwing a helping hand
to them. The contention of the miners is
that a large part of the soft coal operators
will accept the terms proposed and con-
tinue to work, and that the others will be
compelled to come In after a brief season
of idleness. AS to the conflict in the an
thracite, the President has received no
proposition from either the operators OF
miners and II Is thought to be many weeks
off before any such propositions will reach
The following are copies Of kilograms re-
ceived by the President from both OPP
orators and miners:
From the Operators.
INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, March 80, 1905.
The President:
Coal operators representing more than 90
per cent of the output of coal In the terri
tory named this afternoon offered the fol-
lowing resolution IN joint convention:
THE operators of the Southwestern In
terstate Coal Operators Association en-
bracing Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas. Texas
and Indian Territory. realizing the gravity
of the crisis caused by the failure of them
selves and the miners to agree on wage
scale and conditions of labor In that field
now propose to submit all questions at Is
sue to arbitration before a commission to
be appointed by the President of the United
states. the award of said commission to be
binding on both operators and miners"
The miners voted against the resolution
but Notwithstanding their action, the opera
tors are still anxious that the differences
between them and the miners be adjusted
as suggested In the resolution.
w. c. PERRY,
President Southwestern Interstate Coal
Operators Association.
From the Miners.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, March 81 1906.
Hon Theodore Roosevelt, President United
States, Washington:
The miners in session yesterday adopted
by a practically unanimous vote the fol-
lowing resolution:
Whereas, the operators of the central
competitive district have as whole re-
fused to grant our demands and restore the
1908 mining and day wage scale, and
whereas, many individual operators have
expressed their willingness and desire to
grant the restoration of the above scale;
therefore, be it
Resolved, that this convention now as
sembled TO authorize national and district
of1clals 10 make agreements with any and
all operators engaged in the operation of
coal mines, same to provide for the restora-
ton OF the scale paid in 1903 for mining.
day labor and dead work for the period Of
two years, beginning April 1, 1905, in the
central competitive field, and the equal of
the above demand to be the basis In other
Dituminous districts and be it further
Resolved, That where such agreements
are secured, the miners and mine laborers
snail abide thereby and work in accordance
with same" JOHN MpTS,TIErT T
president United Mine Workers of America.