Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-03-31
ERATORS DIVIDED;
WORKS. FOR HARMONY
Union Men Are Allowed 10 Sign Scale and
to Work For Companies Where Off
Gals Grant Increase as Demanded
ROOSEVELT WILL NOT DISCLOSE PLANS
1t Is Believed That In Many Districts the fines Will
Not BE Closed But il is Estimated That Fill
~ Half Million 5Men Will go On
Strike F0r.Eetler Con
ditons
tRy Associnlcd Press. !

INDIANAPOLIS IND. March 20
Ainrlioralion of Tie threatened strife
Of lIilnminOuS coal miners on Aprii I !
WAS secured by the United Mine Work.
FRS of America, who before adjonrniiig,
imlay authorized national and district
officials TO sign wage agreements With
any coal operator who would ugree 10,
pay the scale Of 1903. or its equivalent.
for a period of Two years. lis,t
This is an advance Of 5.55 per cent.
in wage IN Illinois. Indiana, Ohio aud
Western Pennsylvania and All other
districts except tile southwest where
/ an advance of three cents IL ton is do
mnnilca.
Many Operators Will sign Scale.
| AZ many operators have, signfied a
Willingness 10 pay The advance. the
number o fminers thai intend 10 strike
on April |. will probably be ultimate,
/ ly.rehnced by many thousands. .t
The convention declined an offer
made by the operators OF Indiana. II
linols AMI ohio TO submit the wagti
differences to prbltration. NJ 80 81; |.
| Where Il coal operiftor owns ni1ilGfi
IN different districts the scale must
liz signed for all the properties at The
same lime before any OF his mines will
| he Il allowed IN run
About Half Million Will Strike.
! The action of the convention prioba-
/ bly, will bring ont Of the mines of HE
| country about 400 600 miners from The
anthracite and The bitnminOuS field.
! These will remain on strike. il is said .
mill settlements have been signed by
districts or with individual Opernt orS.
The only miners, il is said. that will
| go 10 work on Monday will he $4,000
In West Virginia. where Il truce has
been signed temporarily. The joint
state conventions of the outlying dis
/ ircIs which will he held next week
/: were empowered under the aci ion of
The convention today Ia sign agree
ments with the operators Of those
States IL they agree 10 pay the 1908
i scale
Independents For Peace.
It is anticipated thai The scale will
he signed in a few days by employers
OF $4,000 miners. The Pittshurg Coal
Company and r. l.. Robbins. of western
Pennsylvania. who own mines in Ohio.
Illinois and West Virginia. will. il is
said, sign al once together with IL
number Of independent, operators
The miners expect to ger he adj
vance in all The Indiana mines south
OF the baltimore IL Ohio railroad in IL
number of central Indiana mines in
one half Of the Illinois mines and in
| n large per ccmtagc of the mines in
| Ohio.
West Virginia Lay Sign.
Tho duration of the strike IN Mich.
gan. Kentucky. Central PENNSYLVANIA
Iowa ana West Virginia cannot he de.
i tcrmincd until the State convention
meets next week.
i President Mitchell said he believed
nme.half ot the tonnage OF Illinois. In
diana. Ohio and Western PcnnSylva-
MIA would sign soon. The miners eX-
prct few operators in the southwest Ia
sign at once.
Property to Be Protected
The national executive board will
meet tomorrow to take mp the details
Of managing the strike. II was en-.
powered 10 decide as to what en-
ploycs will be allowed to continue
work at the mines ITO prevent the dc.
siliction Of property during the slis-
pension.
The convention cost the miners or.
ganiaation sln5.000. for expenses Of
delegates. There Is in the national
districts and local treasures Of the
miners $2.560.0oJ. of which $4,000 Is
In the national treasury