The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-19
MITCHELL SUGGESTS
 FURTHER CONFERENCES
REPLIES TO OPERATORS RE- LECTION OF THE DEMANDS
 OFTHE MINERS.

fusal-Perfectly Evident That Miners
 Failed to Make Clear or That opera-
 tors Failed to Understand the Real
 Import of the PrOpOsition-Cannot
 Continue With Any Degree of Con-
 tentment Under Present Conditions.
 Indianapolis. Ind, March 1S.-Presi- dent John Mitchell of the United Mine Workers of America has mailed to George F. Baer, chairman of the an- thracite coal operators committee, his reply to the committees communication rejecting the demands of the miners organization. The letter follows:
 Indianapolis, March 17, 1906. "Mr. George F. Baer, Chairman, Phila-
 delphia:
 Dear sir. Referring again to your communication dated March 10th, with accompanying documents, and to our reply thereto, I write to say that have submitted to our committee the an- swers made by your committee to the propositions presented by us It is un- necessary to state that we were keenly disappointed to learn that our demands were rejected in toto, and that our ar guments in favor of them had received so little consideration at your hands that they were practically ignored in your reply to us.
 We have again reviewed the scale presented for your consideration; have compared it with the scale of wages paid for similar classes of labor in other coal producing states and districts, and we are satisfied beyond the peradven- ture of doubt that the wages proposed are not excessive, If, indeed that they are not so high as the wages paid in the hituminous mining districts of our country,
 Judging from the language employ ed in your answer to us, 1t is perfectly erident that we failed to make clear or that you failed to understand the real import of the propositions submitted by us.
 We want to say that we are not un- mindful of the public interests involved in this controversy as to our future re- lations, neither are we unappreciative of the splendid efforts made by the an- thracite coal strike commission to es- tablish a relationship between us that would insure just and permanent peace; but. if you will refer to the award of that commission, you will find that the commission itself was in doubt as to the perlnanency of its findings and expressed the hope that at the ex- piration of the award, the relations of operators and employees would have so far improved as to make impossible such a condition as existed throughout the country In consequence of the strike in the anthracite regions, We had en- tertained the hope that our adherence to the letter and the spirit of the award and to the absence of local and general strikes, during the past three years would have appealed more strongly to your confidence and that we might reasonably expect serious consid- eration of our claims at this time.
 When we met in joint conference at 143 Liberty street, New York city, on the 18th day of last February, it was agreed that when the separate commit tees of seven had terminated their work, they should report to the com mittee of the whole. We understood this to mean that after we had submit ted our demands and our reasons therefor and you had prepared your your reply thereto, the joint committee would meet confer, and if possible, reach an agreement. But 1t would seem from reading your reply. that all our propositions have been rejected and that your final decision has been given, We trust that this conception of your intention is incorrect, It Is our opin- ion that neither you nor we can afford to break off negotiations in this abrupt manner So far as we and the interests we represent are concerned, we are not willing to accept any share Of the responsibility this action entails. We believe that further meetings should be held and that we should strive earnestly and conscientiously to reconcile our differences.
 While 1t may be true on the part of the operators there has been no serious cause TOT COupHlHI uuTlHB Iu6 past three years, we wish to assure you that in expressing this opinion you do not reflect our views Not only has there been criticism among the miners, but what is more important, there exists much cause for criticism and com plaint To such an extent is this true that we feel it incumbent upon us to say that we cannot with any degree of contentment or satisfaction continue to work under present conditions. How ever we repeat that the interests in- volved are so vast that we are Aot willing to break off negotiations with. out first making further efforts to re- concile our differences. We therefore propose that further conference or conferences be held between now and the first of April.
 If this suggestion meets with your approyal we will be pleased to arrange with you a date on which our joint committee may reconvene.
 T am. yours truly,
 "John Mitchell, Chairman"
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 Cincinnati. March 1S-The body of