The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-04-11
OPERATORS MAKE THEIR
 COUNTER PROPOSITION

(Continued from First Page.)
 that these acts of vio.enca win soon he repeated or exceeded, unless we sur- render to their demands. Not only have they lain idle our collieries, before res ceivlng any reply to their demands, but men attempting to work have al- ready been actually wounded and oth- ers in many places, have been jntlm- dated by threats, beating, or simi ar display of force. The firemen and men running the pumps that are necessary to prevent the flooding of the mines are so frequently and persintently threatened that many of them say they must quit work.
 If this be fair sample os a repub- llcan form of government, all good cit- izens may pray for a despotsm.
 In view of these well known flcts we contend that 1t would b. batter that our mines shall lie idle for years than that we shall accede to the highway man-like demands of an organization that lacks either the wish or the ability to restrain it's members from acts of violence that would dsgra-e the mush- dspised Russia.
 There Is another important question that may as well be sett ed now as hereafter, which is: Has our govern ment itself the power and the dlsposi- ton to protect life and property? They never forget to collect enormous taxes from anthracite properties. Let us de- mand from them the protection that is our due and see If we receive It,
 "But If your committee shall decide that in deference to public opinion some offer of arbitration must be made, we submit that it should be only to the same body that met in 1902 and 19O3 or 10 at least five members thereof. They became thoroughly familiar with all of the conditions.
 None of the new members are es- pecially identihend with either side of the controversy A reference to the conciliation board tand an umpire) would be a reference to the umpire alone. These matters are certainly too important to be placed in the control of any one man, no matter how fair or competent.
 Tn event of submission to the or iginal strike commission we of course, protest against any submission of questions already adjudicated, l Ike the closed shops" and the collection of dues, or the suggestion of any term less than five years, during which the award shall be binding.
 We further suggest that if the sub- mission be made, and the result be an increase in the cost of production, then the amount of such increased cost should be added at once to the market price of the product Notwithstanding the oft-repeated statements and general impression that the profits of the busi- ness are enormous, some of us are un- fortunately aware of the fact that many collieries have been operated at a loss even during the last three years It is surely bad enough to sacrifice nun dreds of thousands of tons of coal, that can never be replaced, without being obliged to pay for the privilege. If | consumers (naturally, perhaps, thinking 1 only of their own comfort and conyen- ience) are so indifferent to the demands of law and order as to compel us to abandon a contest for right and decent government that we are ready if neces' sary to undertake, they should pay the cost of surrender that they compel
 However, we wish to reaffirm our belief and strong desire that until an organization shall arise that shall have both the desire and the ability to com pei obedience to law and order there | shall be no submission to arbitration, (Signed)
 '1The Anthracite Coal Operators Asso- ciation.
 By HI. H. Ashley, President.
 III. W. Kingsbury, Sec'y."