Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-03-24
OPERATORS WILL
MEET MINERS
Baer Notifies Mitchell They Are
Ready For Further Conference.
BUT PROMISES NO CONCESSIONS

New York. March 2l-There will BIZ
conferences between the two commit
senting the anthracite coal operators
and the miners Of the hard coal dis
trict This was decided upon at a
meeting In this city OF the committee
OF operators. Later President George
r Baer, OF the Philadelphia Il Read.
ing railroad forwarded letter to
President John Mitchell. OF the United
Mine Workers OF America. notifying
him that the operators committee are
willing 10 meet the miners committee
al any date Mr.. Mitchell may select
President Baer's letter Is In reply
10 communication from President
Mitchell In which the leader OF the
miners expressed disappointment be-
cause the operators committee had re-
jected the demands OF the miners
without calling their committee into
conference before doing so Mr..
Mitchell then asked for another con.
ference In reply Mr. Baer says that
the operators fully expected 10 have
another conference with the miners.
and asserts that President Mitchell
has not replied 10 a counter PROPOSE
ton made to him by the operators
committee. 10 the effect that the min.
ers allow the present conditions 10
prevail.
President Baer's letter to President
Mitchell is as follows:
Mr. John Mitchell Chairman. Indlanap-
oils
Dear Sir Il beg "a acknowledge receipt
OF Your letter of March l7. There is no
misunderstanding between US as to future
meetings Of the committee The minutes
OF the meeting held on the 18th of Feb
ruary. 10 which you refer. clearly state
the understanding To my suggestion
that committees be- appointed. the record
OF the minutes T. rs follows:
MIR Mitchell What We understand Is
that the separate committees be ap-
pointed seven on each side aud that the
miners formulate Ia detail the PROPOSE
tons We have 10 make aud give such rca
sons rs they choose therefor and after
their scale had been prepared they Will
submit that to the seven representa- iVes
Of the mine operators for their cousidera-
ton. that the seven gentlemen represent
Ing the operators VIII then reply 20 the
seven miners the committee aud II there
IL finally an agreement or disagreement
II shall be reported back 20 oar whole
committee"
mir Baer / have no objections 10 that
] speak for myself only. II is a matter
OF drtuil
Mr. wilcox There are no objections
only Il serm> to me It win take little
more time
MIR Mitchell We want 10 be perfectly
frank tn this matter and ", do not want
10 enter into these negotiations under
any misupptat,n-ion W. 80 not want TO
discover lat,r on thar there has been amy
deception. do anything that VIII lead you
e. believe Ne practice deception on our
side OF COURSE. any agreement arrived
Vt by this whole committee would be
subject a. the ratification of couy ention
OF thu anthracite miners
MIR Raer l. that So Do YOU come
here without power
MIR Mitchell Anything that We do Is
subject to ratification
MIR Barr- All you can do IL 10 make
= tentative arrangement. and that had 10
BE- reported 90 the convention and TO BE-
passed upou hy the convention"
mir. Mitchell Yes sir. But that really
amounts 10 nothing Thut IS the nstruc-
tlbtlr ifftftA tEf fTiittAAtfhAH blttft 'lANt VI
anthracite mine workers.
MIR Thomas II The anthracite con
vention votes Tor H. viii that settle Il or
VIII Il have TO 20 further to the central
committee al indian pii.2
MIR Mitchell That viii settle the mat
ter. And there VIII hr no trouble that Is
not important. This committee repre-
SCENTS the anthracite mine workers aud
they are the executive officers
In ugg4rltue,. with This uutiar%taud
We have frankly and fuly answered your
propositions. We make "a counter propo-
sitiou 10 you To continue the existing con-
ditions which have been highly beneficial
20 the miners and 70 the community You
have not answered the proposition We
made 10 YOU. We sincerely believe that
nothing can now be- done to improve the
situation as 10 exists, and has Tor the
past three years existed, ia the coal r..
gions The miners are coutsnted They
have been FUZZY employed. They have
been paid lare. wages They have saved
money All the conditions attending the
worklngman prosperity are As favor
able iu the anthracite regions As 4 Is
possible 10 make them. t'nder these ctr
oumstHnces w have hoped that you
would accept our proposition. and until
We heard from YOU ~ still continued to
indulge that hope.
1 assumed from d report OF CONVERSE
tion over the telephone you had with
r. u. Thomas. that owing to your ar
rsngemcnts at indianapolis, an earlier
day than the 18th Of March would not
suit you for meeting W. are prepared
10 meet you at any time you may name
/ naturally supposed you would notify rs
when you desired to meet as You will
observe that your own statement says
m there T. q Hnd agreement, or dis
agreement. Il shan be- reported back to
our whole committee. We never had a
thought OF abrogating this understandings
and have acted throughout Oh the as
sumption that there would be meeting
OF the whole committee 10 hear our re-
port Yours truly.
GEORGE r. BAER. Chairman
THE COAL CONFERENCE