The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-25
Clash Among Operators Has
 Delayed the Proceedings
MUCH B TTERNESS IS SHOWN
Mir. Robbins Insists That He Intends to Pay the Increase Asked By the Miners at
 His Mines.

Indianapolis, Ind. March A-After being in joint conference through com mittees since Tuesday afternoon the coal operators and miners of the central com- petitive district consisting of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Western Pennsylvania and those of the Southwestern district composed of Missouri Kansas, Texas. Arkansas and Indian Territory are no nearer an agreement upon a wage scale to go Into effect in one week, than they were when the former joint conference adjourned in disagreement on February ?. The present wage scale expires next Saturday and unless an agreement Is reached between the operators and miners before that time 225,OOO union bituminous miners will be called from the mines in the states named.
 Will Meet Again Monday.
 The Joint scale committee of the central competitive district adjourned this after noon after being in session four days to meet Monday morning when mo- ton to report a disagreement will be offered and It Is believed 1t will be car ried. The session of the joint confer ence to receive this report will, accord Ing to the present programme, will be called to meet Monday afternoon.
 During the four days the operators and miners have been in conference not motion or proposition offered by either side upon the wage scale has been adopt ed In every case where a proposition was offered 1t has been fiatly refused. Tta oDaroforo Ina va haan confronted with serious dissensions in their own ranks. F. L. Robbins. of the Western Pennsyl- vania operators, has agreed to pay an advance of 5.55 per cent which Is the demand made by the miners, but the operators of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio have firmly refused to pay any advance. Under the rules of the joint committee the votes of both operators and miners must be recorded as units and this divis- lon of the operators has resulted in the defeat of every motion not favorable to all of them.
 Marked By Much Bitterness.
 The meetings of the joint scale commit tee have been marked by much bitter ness. MT. Robbins has announced that he intends to pay the increase in wages asked by the miners not only in the mines of the Pittsburg Coal company of which he is president, but also in his own mines in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois. Independent operators in Vest ern Pennsylvania, represented by G. A. Magoon have announced through him that they will pay the advance If MT. Robbins does. Other independent mine owners have signified their intention to pay the advance if these interests do so. Operators of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio declare they cannot afford to pay any advance whatever and President Nit chell of the mine workers has firmly de- clared that no settlement will be made unless an advance in wages Is given.
 It is freely stated that both operators and miners are playing a waiting game, as each side desires to throw upon the other the responsibility for a strike F. l.. Robbins of Pittsburg Is doing all in his power to force an advance in wages in all the states, but the operators of Ohio, Illinois and Indiana are equally firm in refusing to pay any advance.
 Fight Will Be Renewed.
 When the joint scale committee reports disagreement to the joint conference the fight will be renewed upon the floor and the finality will then soon be reached.
 The operators and miners of the south west will determine their position after those in the central competitive district have come to a decision. While the com mttees are in session over one thous- and miners and over 400 coal operators have been thronging daily the corridors of the Claypoo hotel, where the meetings are being held, awaiting the final re- suit.
 Thousands of telegrams have poured in and out of the hotel, and eight long distance telephone booths have been kept busy day and night by the operators.