The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-05
BOTH SIDES FIRM
ANTHRACITE COMMITTEES REFUSE
 TO YIELD.
Apparently the Controversy over the Wage Scale in the Hard Coal Field Is as Far From Set
 clement as Ever,

New York. April 3.--The subcommit- tees representing the anthracite opera tors and the mine workers of Eastern Pennylvania held their first joint meet ing here today, and after nearly a three hours session, adjourned until 1 D. m. Thursday, without coming to an agreement.
 Each side to the controversy has re- fused to make the slightest concession and the whole question apparently is as far from solution as 1t was before today's conference began. In the mean time the tie-up of the anthracite in- dustry remains as complete as 1t was yesterday without indication that a resumption of mining will occur very soon. Notwithstanding the fruitless session and the apparently hopeless deadlock between the workmen and their employers, rumors are stlll cur rent that way will be found that will enable the operators and miners to stand on common ground and settle their differences.
 After the conference the following statement was given out by a repre- sentative of the operators:
 The conference began at noon with President Thomas of the Lehigh Valley Company in the chair. Mir Mitchell made long speech detailing why, in his Judgment, the original demands of the miners ought to be granted He was followed by Mir. Nicholas, presi- dent of the Lackawanna-W Wyoming dis trict of the miners union who support ed MT Mitchelrs argument. There were other speeches of the representa- tives of the miners. In fact that side did nearly all the talking.
 There Is no disposition on either side to recede from It's original posi- ton or to accept any modification of original demands. MT. MitcheIPs at- titude indicated that the counter pro- position made by the operators for a renewal of the working agreement drafted by the anthracite strike com. mission was not acceptable to the miners.
 On motion of Mir. Mitchell the con- ference adjourned until Thursday.
 The entire situation remains the same as before the meeting The sns- pension of work in the anthracite mines will continue pending negotia- tions."
 The members of the miners com mittee including President Mitchell ab. solutely refused to talk of the con- ference. The miners president also refused to an opinion as tc whether the situation was hopeful or discouraging from his viewpoint.
 The Shamokin scale committee which numbers thfrty-six men and which was appointed last December, held ses- sion tonight at the Ashland house The committee was empowered by the Shamokin convention to endeavor to make an agreement with the operators subject to the ratification of another convention to be called when the com mission is ready to report The scale committee was in session less than an hour. The subcommittee which had Nbeen in conference with the opera tors made it's report after which Pres ident Mitchell read a letter from Gov ernor Pennypacker in which the Gov ernor said:
 "The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania expects that every effort will be made by the operators and miners to avert the strike which is now threatened.
 The scale committee will meet again tomorrow.
 Reports received from the anthracite field during the day, according to the labor leaders. were satisfactory to in the ranks of the mine workers and in the ranks of teh mine workers and none Is expected.
 MT Mitchell in discussing the situa- tion in tho bituminious fields said he had received a large number of tele- grams during the day from the soft coal fields which satisfied him that af- fairs in those regions are making them selves out just as he had anticipated Thousands of men, he said, returned to work today under the scale of 1908. which gives them an increase of 5.55 per cent over theNwages received during the last two years.