The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1906-03-17
OPERATORS GAIN
BIG AOvAM TAGE
Force Miners President TO
Accept Terms in Order
TO Save Union.
SENSATIONAL STORY GIVEN OUT
Mitchell Is Said to Have Agreed 20
Close Anthracite Mines Under
- Threat Of Bituminous Owners TO
Cease Collection Of Dues.

flttsDurg, Pa, dispatch: President
John Mitchell and the bltuminous
operators have practically completed
a deal by which the president OF the
miners agrees 10 force a strike In the
anthracite region. Unless he brings
about such a state OF affairs he can
not hope to effect any arrangement
for an advance for the miners In the
competitive soft coal region.
II he does not do Il. the soft coal
operators viii refuse to continue the
check or" system for collecting the
dues OF the mines 20 tho union. aud
this would rob the United Mine Work
ers OF their greatest financial strength
Operators Are Pleased.
Independent operators are feeling
elated here since the word has been
passed around that a hard coal strike
Is practically assured They hope 10
do something towards brea6ing into
the eastern market II such a struggle
Is brought about Mitchell and Pres.
ident Francis 1. Robbins. the leader
OF the soft coal operators, have held
several conferences, and Mitchell IS
said TO have agreed finally 70 the de
mands made by Robbins
Robbins is determined that the
hard coal operators shall be forced 60
come TO terms With the miners or
their mines shall be closed. II they
should close the 10y will be open for
the soft coal operators TO consider
the advance demended by the miners.
and there is little doubt but they
would be able 20 get a better scale.
ultimatum to Mitchell.
Make the anthracite men come 10
the mark or close their mines and We
will deal with you. II yon don't we
may deal with you. anyway. on the
advance. but we will stop the check
on and you know what that will
mean" was the cold way In which the
proposition was handed 10 John
Mitchell within the last seventy.two
hours by Robbins or his personal rep
resentatlye. and II has made Mitchell
think.
Mitchell and others know what the
adjustment OF the check-of by the
bituminous operators would mean. II
would XIII the miners union The
check-on Is toll collected fran the
miners pay by the operators for the
United Mine Workers THIS Is the
only way In which the uninn is kept
up. All admit that. II left 20 the min
ers themselves the dues would never
be paid. and the threa' TO stop this
collecting, or holding jut." from the
miners pay has had It's effect
Would Ruin he Union.
The anthracite operators are not
bothered with the check.off. and that
is the reason. according to the people
here, that the collections do not come
in from the miners there
With ;he operators In the btu.
minous field refusing longer 10 collect
dues for the union before the miners
are paid. the United Mine Workers
would soon go down This Is what
has been threatened unless something
is done by the union 70 the anthracite
mines
The move IS 10 boost bitumlnous
prices aud get into the Eastern mar
ke,. long controlled by the anthracite
people, once their mines are closed IN
strike. II Is claimed the proposition
az the bltuminous operators has been
as good as accomplished. ana that the
anthracite strike may be considered a
ccrfatuty