Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-12
REJECT MINERS 1[RNS|
Committee Representing the
Anthracite Operators Denies
Their Demands
MAKE A COUNTER PROPOSAL
Suggest That the Awards of the Coal
Strike Commission Be Accepted AS
j Basis Upon Which They Continue
Agreement For Three Years-Lons
Formal Statement is Issued.

Formal Statement is Issued.
New York, March 12.-The PROPOSE
lions of the United Mine Workers of
America for a readjustment Of wages
and conditions in the anthracite coal
fields, as whole, have been denied by
the. committee representing the anthra-
cite operators. AS a counter PROPOSE
ton the operators suggest that the
awards made by the anthracite coal
strike commission, the principles upon
Which they were established by the
commission and methods established for
carrying out their findings and awards.
shall be continued for a further term
of three years from the LIST day of
April, 1906. The present agreement
terminates March 81 Of this year.
Announcement of the anthracite OPP
orators decision and their counter
proposition was made last night in a
long, formal statement, which was
given out for publication. This state-
ment, which includes the corresponds
cree on the subjects at issue between
President John Mitchell of the United
Mine Workers, acting for the miners.
and George F. Baer, president of the
Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron
Company, for the operators discusses
the miners proposition in detail. In
every instance the contention is made
by the operators either that conditions
in the coal fields do not warrant the
change proposed by the miners or that
the questions at issue already have
been passed upon by the strike COM
mission.
Open Shop Refused.
The demand OF the miners That the
operators enter into an agreement
with the union is declined on the
ground that the anthracite operators
stand unalterably for the open shop,
and again decline to make an agree
ment with the United Mine Workers
of America, an organization controlled
by a rival industry" OF the demand
for an eight-houa day. the statement
says the operators know of no change
in conditions that can be used to sus-
tain the renewed demand for reduce
ton in hours, and declares that the
expectation Of the strike committee
that the reduction from ten to nine
hours Should not result in any de-
crease in the output of the mines has
not been realized, and adds:
We might justly say that with the
experience of the past three years. the
lem hour day should be restored but
we are willing to abide by the decision
OF the commission" The proposition
that a uniform scale of wages be es-
rablished in the anthracite fields Is
met by the operators with the reply
that this would be impracticable by
reason OF the varying capacities of the
workmen and the varying conditions
existing in the region and at the col
lieries.
1--WE cannot increase wages without
advancing the price of coal land we
are not willing to advance the price
of COAL" is the reply to the demand for
a general increase in wages
The request that the operators shall
collect from each employe certain
stated sums for the support of the
mine workers union is denied on the
ground that as "a matter of policy we
could not make such an agreement as
YOU request, and as a matter OF law,
we are not permitted to make it.
Decline Board Change.
The operators decline to agree to
any change in the board of concilia-
ton as established by the anthracite
coal strike commission, taking the
that the system proposed by
the miners would simply involve the
creation of a series of minor boards,
whose decisions might be conflicting,
and from which appeals would have
to be taken to an arbitrator. thereby
creating more delay than now exists.
The complaint of the miners that the
board of Cancellation does not act
promptly, the operators declare to be
not warranted by the facts. The de-
nand for new sliding wage scale is
denied on the ground that the sliding
scale fixed by the anthracite coal strike
covers practically all the
in the proposed new
scale.
In conclusion, the statement says:
at has been our hope, and, we trust
ed, the public expectation as well, that
The effect of exhaustive investigation
and findings of the distinguished citi-
zens who constituted the anthracite
strike commission, would be to estab-
ish a just and permanent adjustment
IF the relations between the operators
and their employees. We therefore re-
sret your suggestions that an entirely
sew and untried arrangement should
BE made which is only to last for one
year.
at is not to the interest Of employ
srs and employees, nor of the public, to
nave the mining business, as we'll as
the general business and comfort of
he people, seriously disturbed by these
raa rlv contentionS