The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-04-13
TWO PROPOSITIONS ARE
 SUBMITTED BY MINERS
OPERATORS GIVEN CHOICE IN EFFORT TO REACH AN
 AGREEMENT

stiIl Hope of Peaceful Solution but
 Limit of Negotiations Apparently
 Nearly Reached-Baer Regrets That
 Owners Plan Was Not Accepted-
 They Do Not Feel They Can Modify
 Terms--Win Give Answer by Letter
 No Date Set for Further Conference
 New York, April 12.-At the meeting of the slb-conmittees oS the anthracite mine workers and operators here to- day, the representatives of the em- ployes offered the owners the choice Of two propositions in their endeavor to come to an amicable agreement, ana the employers made an informal reply in which they intimated that they are not likely to accept either. The oper- ators will make an official answer to the miners latest propositions Dy let ter, and there will be no further meet ings until something develops.
 While there is still hope that peace full solution of the controversy will pc found, the meeting to-day did not bring the contending parties closer to- gether; in fact, they appear to have almost reached the limit of their nego- tiations. If the operators should de- cline to entertain either of the proposl- tions submitted by the miners to-day 1t is probable convention of miners VIII be called at which the delegates Will declare that strike exists.
 Briefly stated the offer made by President Mitchell to-day was re-sub- mission of the miners original demands with two amendments and in case they are not accepted he proposes that the whole controversy be placed before the strike commission.
 In one of the amendments to the orig inal demands President Mitchell drops the request for the recognition of the union and provides that the proposed agreement be made between the oper- ators and the anthracite mine workers instead of the Mine Workers of Amer ica. The other amendment provides that only employees who are willing, shall be assessed a certain sum each month to defray the expenses of carry ing out the proposed check-off agree ment instead of union and non-union men being called upon to contribute. If the operators will not accept the original demands as amended, the min- CTS propose that they (the original de- unands as amended) and the operators first proposition, which provides for a renewal for three years of the award of the anthracite strike commission, be re- ferred for arbitration to the strike commission. Thus the miners drop their second offer which provides for arbitra- tion by the conciliation board and ig- more the operators second proposition with the exception Of the strike com mission feature, which they accept.
 After President Mitchell, as chair man of the miners subcommittee had finished reading the answery the oper- ators withdrew and discussed the com munication for about ten minutes. Up on their return, President Baer, as chairman of the operators committee, made this reply:
 i've regret that you have not ao- cepted our propositions. We do not feel that we can modify them We will hereafter answer your communication of this date by letter or, if you desire a further meeting, the time can be arr ranged or be hereafter fixed by the re- spective chairmen."
 Then an informal talk followed dur ing which it was agreed that if any further meeting of the joint committee was desired by the miners, arrange ments for it could be made by Presi- dents Baer and Mitchell. After the conference had adjourned none of the participants would discuss the develop ments of the meeting except President Truesdale of the Delaware, Lackawan- ma and Western railroad.
 President Truesdale of the Lacka- wanna railroad was asked to explain Chairman Baer's brieg statement. He said that it could be accepted as mean ing that the operators stand absolutely by their counter proposition submitted on Tuesday. As the situation stands now, MT. Truesdale thought, 1t was not too much to say that negotiations be- tween the operators and the miners had practically been suspended. The operators will take up the miners proposition to-day, however, and make formal reply early in the coming week.