The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-25
COAL STRIKE
 INEVITABLE Agreement on Wages Seems Impossible.
THE OPERATORS ARE DIVIDED
Robbins Says He Viii Pay the
 5.55 Per Cent Increase.
Mitchell Has Declared that No Contract VIII Bc Entered Into That Does Not Provide for Raise
 in Wages.

In Annapolis March 24--After being in joint conference through commit tees since Tuesday afternoon, the coal operators and miners of the general competitive district, consisting of IIli- nois, Indiana, Ohio and Western Penn sylvanla. and those of the southwest ern district, composed of Missouri, Kan- sas, Texas, Arksnsas and Indian Ter ritory, are no nearer an agreement up- on a wage scale to go into effect in one week than they were when the former joint conference adjourned in disagreement February 2.
 The present wage scale will expire next Saturday and unless an agreement Is reached between tho operators and miners before that time 22,000 union bituminous miners will be called from the mines in the States named.
 The joint scale committee of the cen tral competitive district adjourned this afternoon after being in session four days to meet Monday morning, when a motion to report disagreement will be offered and 1t is believed will be carried. The session of tho joint con- ference to receive this report will, ac- ccrding to the present program, 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 adopted. In every case where a proposition was offered 1t has been fiatly refused.
 The operators have been confronted with serious dissensious in their own ranks. F. L. Robbins. of the Western Pennsylvania operators, has agreed to pay an advance of 5.55 per cent. which is the demand of the miners, but the operators of Illinois. Indiana and Ohio have firmly refused to pay any ad- vance. Under the rules of the joint committee. the votes of both operators and Hliners must be recorded as units and this division of the operators has resulted in the defeat Of every motion favorable to all Of them
 Marked by Bitterness.
 The meetings Of the joint scale com mittee have been marked by much bit tarness. Mir, Robbins Las 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 Western Pennsylvania represented by c. A. Magoon have announced through him that they will pay the advance if Mir 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 can not afford to pay any advance whatever and Presi- dent Mitchell of the Mine Workers Union has firmly declared that no set clement will be made unless an ad- vance in wages is given.
 It Is freely stated that both opera tors and miners are playing waiting game as each side desires to throw up- on the other the responsibility for strike. F. l.. Robbins of Pittsburg, Is doing all In his power to force an ad- vance In wages in all the states. but the operators of Ohio, Illinois and h. diana, are equally firm in refusing to pay any advance.
 When the joint scale committee rec ports a disagreement to the joint con- ference the fight will be renewed up- on the floor and the finality will then soon be reached.
 The operators and miners of the Southwestern will determine their po- sition after the discussion in the Gen. tral comparative district has come to . decision.
 While the committees arc in session over one thousand miners and over 400 coal operators have been thronging daily the corridors of the Claypool Hotel, where the meetings ara being held. awaiting the final result. Thou sands of telegrams have poured In and out of the hotel and eight long dis tance telephone booths have been kept busy day and night by the operators.