Milford chronicle., 1906-03-30
SOFT COAL STRIKE
SEEMS INEVITABLE
Scale Committee Reports Disagree.
ment to Joint Convention.
OPPOSING SIDES FAR APART

operators OF Illinois, ln0lana ONO and
Western Pennsylvania Seported a dis
agreement to the joint conference of
the central competitive district. The
conference continued its meetings to-
day "wednesday.
The discussions and arguments pre-
sented established the fact that. so far
as indications can determine, the op-
posing sides are no nearer a wage
agreement than they were in January,
when the first conference was held.
The present wage scale will expire on
Saturday, and unless an agreement is
reached before its expiration, 225,000
miners in the four states will be called
from the Mines
Mitchell Opens Debate.
President Mitchell, of the miners,
opened the discussion in the joint con-
ference after there had been a silence
of 10 minutes, during which each side
was waiting for the other to make the
first move He said:
"Mr. Chairman-It was my expec
tation when we convened here that
some proposition looking to an adjust.
ment of our differences would be sub
mitted by the operators. 1t is evident
that they have not agreed among
themselves to submit for the consider
alton of this convention any PROPOSE
tion looking to an adjustment of our
relations Every one here who has
heard the report read by the secretary
of the joint scale committee will know
- AF,k snfv
scale conference, have gone out of
their way, have even assumed authori |
ties not vested in them by the miners
convention, to meet the grave and full |
responsibilities placed on them, not |
only as miners, but as cOuntrymen and !
citizens, by the request and the sug |
gestions of the president of our coun
try. And it will become evident from
the votes represented here by at least
four states, who must, and who right
fully shall assume the responsibility
for a disagreement if no settlement is
reached.
zone state, one large producing
state, has come in here and voted for
a restoration of the wage scale of
1908. That state has not only voted
its entire production, but it has an
nounced in addition thereto the inten
ton to vote it's mines in Ohio and in
Illinois in favor of an increase in
wages. It does seem to me, gentle
men, that instead of sitting quietly
the gentlemen from the operators
side ought to say something in de
fense of their position. And accepting
all the responsibility that may come to
me personally, without consultation
with the gentlemen who employ me, ]
want to offer for the consideration
of this convention a motion that as a
basis of settlement there be a restora,
tion of the scale, the mining scale and
the day wage scale and the dead work
scale of 1908"
Operators Offer Substitute Scale.
J. H. Winder, chairman of the oper
ators, offered as a substitute a motion
to adopt the present scale, with all
conditions existing at the time Of its
adoption, with the mining rate at Dan
vile. H. for a base. and to include all
cost of shooting, loading, timbering
and inspection of shots. No vote was
taken on either proposition.
After a number of speeches by
prominent exponents of each side,
Mr.. Phil Penna, of the Indiana oper /
ators in a speech suggested the set
tlement of the differences by arbitra I
ton He outlined no definite plan, c
however. and his suggestion was not Il
further discussed. .
Wellington OConnor, president of
the Indiana miners, said he had in his
pocket letters from Indiana operators S
wanting to pay the advance asked for
Turning to Mr.. OConnor, Mr.. Penna
said: IF you have letters from any a
Indiana operators belonging to the as e
sociation offering to pay an advance, o
take the advance. l hate a scab opera n
tor as much as l hate a scab miner" s
Mr.. Mitchell denied a report circu- "
lated in the hall before the joint con- W
ference was called to order to the ef- #
feet that the miners had asked Presi- N
ent Roosevelt to use his efforts n
wards securing peace. a
ouId Raise Price Of Hard Coal sf.2o. c.
Jew York, March 26-The anthracite b.
Il operators, feeling that the public tC
5uld be fully and accurately informed nj
Icerning all points now in dispute ei
h the miners. authorize the follow u
g statements: tf
Much inquiry has been made as to ia
he precise calculation by which the :
anthracite coal operators establish the
iact that in order to grant the demands p,
made by the coal miners it will be
to raise the price charged the -
by S1.2O a ton. The operators -
EEL that the public should be fully in ~
'ormed upon this point. as it will be ~
absolutely impossible to sell coal for less ~
han this increase if the demands be -
allowed oH
May Work Despite Strike. la
Wilkes-Barre Pa. March 2S-The
Intention of the anthracite mine own
rs to operate their collieries, if a strike