Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-02
OPERATORS AND
MINERS DISAGREE
Conference Adjourns Sine Die
Without Agreeing on
Wage Scale.
STATES WERE BADLY DIVIDED.
Pennsylvania Voted for It-Mitchell
Still Insists There Must be
An Increase.


southwest districts adjourned today
sine die without any agreement on the
wage scale. The adjournment was i'm
mediately followed for a call OF the
annual meeting OF the United Miners Of
America by 2 o'clock.
A resolution by +. l.. Robbins, the
spokesman for the operators. that the
present wage scale be continued, was
lost, IS 1t required, under the rules, a
unanimous vote to carry any of the
principal propositions. Operators of
ohio and pennsylvania voted for the
motion, Illinois operators declined to
vote. The miners of Ohio, Indiana and
Illinois voted against the proposition.
Patrick Dolan, president of the Penn
sylvania miners. voted his state for the
proposition which caused an uproar
among the miners. His right to vote
the Pennsylvania miners for the con-
tinuance OF the present scale I'm spite of
the fact that the Pittsburg convention
had voted for an increase was chal-
lenged by several other Pennsylvania
miners, but on an appeal TO the chair
the vote was so recorded. The motion
TO adjourn sine die was made by l..
j.. Robbins Immediately following the
announcement that the proposition OF
the operators as embodied In his mo-
tion had been defeated.
President Mitchell has declared that
under no circumstances would the min
ers accept any agreement that did not
carry with II an increase In wages, and
the miiErs' donventiod mas unani-
mously, with the exception of three
votes, Endorsed the action Of the Joint
scale committee, which refused the
proposition OF the operators that the
present wage scale be continued.
THE PROCEEDINGS.
Indianapolis, Ind Feb. 1.-THE coal
| operators and miners of the central
competitive and southwest districts met
In joint conference today to finally set
tie the question as to whether an agrees
ment was possible. President Mitchell
OF the miners, announced that themin-
| ers had refused TO accept continuance
| of the present scale.
f. l.. Robbins OF pittsburg, moved
! that the present scale be affirmed with
| the same prices and conditions for the
| year beginning April 10.
| Mr.. Taylor. an Illinois operator, nov
| ed an amendment which was the same
| proposition that had been previously Of
! fered and rejected The amendment
was lost, the operators and miners yot-
| ing solidly.
F, l., Robbins then took the floor. He
said he wanted to go on record as IL
| seemed the future of the interstate
movement was in peril.
| Mr. Robbins reviewed the difference
| in the condition OF the miners now and
when the interstate and joint confer
| ence movement went into effect.
| You have advanced wages and
| shorter hours" said he, without ar
| gument and in the face of all fairness
| you yesterday met and repudiated a
| fair proposition. ! want to go on rec
| ord as protesting against such methods.
| Yesterday coal sold In Chicago at a
dollar a ton carrying an so cent freight
rate because the railroads were de-
| handing the cars, and yet you refuse
| to allow one district to sign an agree
ment unless We propose to deal with
our miners even handed with the same
| representation on each side. You pro-
| pose to have miners Of other states
| with conditions entirely different from
ours to dictate as TO the settlement OF
| our affairs In our district. Your propo-
ston adopted yesterday Is absurd. A
| little section up In Michigan could re-
| fuse a settlement and tie UP the whole
| country. You have a conference with
| the anthracite operators coming. II
were an anthracite operator | would
| refuse to deal with YOU"
President Mitchell took the floor in
reply said:
at is kind Of Mr.. Robbins to say that
| we have presented no argument, We
| refused to allow the operators 10 have
! the final say as to whether we have
| presented any argument or not. We
| have shown that coal is selling at the
| mines at from So to 30 cents a ton high
| er than IL was 81 llng seven months ago
| We showed this by their own circulars.
| We have shown by their circulars that
| the condition OF their own grade Is
| highly prosperous. The country Is In
| the highest degree OF prosperity. Stocks
and bonds are selling higher than ever
| before. And yet. Notwithstanding this
situation, we are asked to continue a
lower wage scale than we had two
years ago And Mr.. Robbins will re-
| member that two years ago, when we
accepted lower wage scale on account
| OF an unfortunate situation existing at
| that time he promised that the redue-
| ton would he restored at the next con-
| ference.
Mr.. Mitchell reiterated his arguments
| for an increase In wages, and In clos
| ing said:
| I'VE have come 10 the parting OF the
ways and It seems to me the only thing
| let TO do Is TO go home and there try
| TO Gyrrcome the seemingly insurmount-
| able shstacles. We deeply regret the
| necessity for such a step, but We feel
| that the time has come when you can
| give us an advance In wages without
| damaging your property interests to
| any considerable extent"
r. II. Penna. an Indiana operator
| saii
1t looks as though split Is newt
able, and that the Joint conference
| movement has failed"
Mr.. Penna argued the wage question
| with some figures on the products and
the selling price OF coal. The produce
| tlon OF Indiana coal, he said. had de-
creased from TO 0 per cent during
| the past year.
III this institution has to break up"
said he, "and II has come to the point
| that one party must control the mines
| of this country. that party will be the
| party that owns the property. There
will be hardshlps, but the owners OF
| property must control IT,"
Vice President It. l.. Lewis OF the
Mine Workers, said the miners realized
| that while the movement had been
| beneficial they were opposed to any
proposition that would deny a rlghtfui
| wage scale.
And II that Is denied u.s." said he.
then the responsibility for an Indus
] trial war must rest where II bslongA"