The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-27
COAL men BREAK;
STRIKE AT HAND
Soft Coal Scale Committee, I'm
able to Agree, Ends
Sessions.
OPERATORS REJECT
MINERS ULTIMATUM
Peace Now Hangs on Possible
Independent Action by
Districts.

1SoiS SoiiIhiAtCOC VI wal
operators and miners of the central com
petlt1ve district, after being in session
one week, decided today to report a dis
agreement, to session of a joint con-
ference of miners and operators to be
held at 2 o'clock.
The committee was in session but a
short time today. It met at $3.50 O'Clock,
and after a half hour spent in general
talk that bore no relation to the ques-
ton at issue, a motion was made and
unanimously adopted that disagree
ment be reported.
The national officers of the miners
In the committee. yesterday had strong
ly reiterated their former declaration
that under no circumstances would they
sign a scale at anything less than an
advance in wages of 800 per cent, and
President Perry Of the Illinois miners
had assured the operators that no Illi-
nois union or district would be allowed
to sign unless the advance was given
to every union mine in the state.
The ultimatum was received by the
miners in silence and an adjournment
was then taken until this morning,
when the motion to report a disagree
ment was at once offered by President
Mitchell of the miners and carried
unanimously.
--. Serious Matter Now.
When the thirty-four operators AID
miners came from the committee room
there was no laughing and testing as
had been seen at the close of previous
sessions. All were serious and there
were indications that each man was
boring under nervous strain.
President John Mitchell Of the
United Mine Workers declined to make
a statement. Asked if he would per-
nit the scale to be signed where an ad-
vance was offered, even if all the mines
should not work; he refused to reply.
Mr.. Mitchell said it would be de-
termined by the action of the confer
ence when he would go east to take
up consideration of the anthracite stu
alton. A meeting of the miners ma
tio9al convention will be held imme-
diately following the adjournment of
the joint conference. Should this con-
vention be held tomorrow, Mr.. Mitch
ell could not reach the east for a con-
ference before Friday or Saturday
Outcome Is in Doubt.
At noon J. H. Winder, chairman of
of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, Who are
opposed to paying any increase in
wages, said he could make no state
ment. cit is impossible to predict
the outcome, but the situation has not
| changed said he.
b. l. Robbins, representing the oper-
ators OF western PENNSYLVANIA, and
who is willing to pay the increase de-
manded, said he could make no state
ment prior to the joint conference.
President Mitchell adhered to his
policy maintained throughout the
meeting of refusing to give any infor-
nation whatever.
Some Mines Will Re- WORRIED
Frank McKenna, one of the western
Pennsylvania district miners board
members, said:
The men will go to work in the
Pittsburg district. AS soon as Rob
bins or anyone else meets our demands
we will work. The state constabulary
cannot keep the men from going to
work. -
Mr.. Robbins said this afternoon, "T
shall go before the miners and again
offer the 1908 scale. shall demand
that they operate my mines. I have
met their demands; they will not dare
out IN Tndsn, Inois and tn the Me1s
say mo-
"The mines Of the Pittsbqrg Coay
company and it's allied companies In
western Pennsylvania and Illinois will
be put in operation. The men will
work, even if those in these other states
try to lock them out.
! Open Shop Plan.
George A. Magoon, leader of the
western Pennsylvania Independents,
was seen again today. "Robbins says
he is going to operate his mines. What
will the Independents doa'
"We will have to operate to protect
our markets and hold our men,
"Will you pay the unions scale
the ADVANCED
| "No.'
"You will operate on the open shop
| eyes, he declared.
! No Violence Likely.
President Dennis Sullivan of the
4 Ohio miners said: "We shall have lit
tie trouble in our state. 1t will not be
necessary for the operators to post
guards
| The miners will protect their prop
erty. We have been friends for long
time and tho we differ on this PROPOSE
tion, we will still seek to deserve the
good will Of our opponents.
1--WE are very much in earnest, but
our men will be a unit against vandal-
4 ism and violence. That spirit also will
be found in Indiana, Illinois and the
other states.
He was asked if the miners union
would control lawless elements that
take hand in mining strikes
! 81 think we can; we will try" he
said.