New-York tribune., 1906-04-28
OPERATORS STAND FIRM
REJECT NEW PROPOSALS.
Stand by Alternative Suggestions IN
Letter to Scale Committee.

The new propositions submitted by President
Mitchell of the United Mine Workers
1ected yesterday by the anthracite operators
committee OF seven at meeting in the Jersey
Central Building. No. 143 Liberty street AS
Mitchell had asked for an early reply, a letter
was sent 10 him yesterday evening. giving the
operators reasons for rejecting his last pro-
posals and reiterating their determination TO
stand by their alternative propositions The
letter places the responsibility of strike u one
occurs. on Mitchell and the officers of the union
The meeting of the operators was attended
by all the members OF the committee Of seven
George F. Baer. chairman OF the committee
presiding. Vice-President Loomis of the Della
ware. Lackawanna & Western Railroad and
Vtce-President Richards of the Reading COM
peny were also present 10 be consulted. II neces-
sary. as authorities on mining
The letter OF the operators notes that the op-
orators offer OF arbitration by the strike COM
mission has been rejected by the representa-
tives Of the Mine Workers. and says that Nit
chelrs statement as to the arbitration PROPOSE
ton is inaccurate. when he speaks OF it
suggestion that I'VE first arbitrate to ascertain
whether there is anything to arbitrate and then
restrict within narrow limits the scope OF the
Investigation" The letter continues:
Our offer was 'to submit TO the members of the
strike commission the question whether any
changes in conditions have occurred since the
award or the commission requiring that the award
should be modified as to wages and adjustment
OF complaints, and II how ii should be changed
You VIII observe. therefore, that your statement
was decidedly inaccurate. This proposition was IN
accordance with the view which we have constantly
urged that the award of the commission should be
deemed conclusive to any facts or issues, within
be supplementary to that award rather than q re-
trial Of all such facts and issues. 1t Is clear that
this procedure would tend dignity and strengthen
the process OF arbitration rather than, you sug
gest bring il into dsrepute and ridtcule-" The
latter result would follow IL arbitration should
never be regarded final. but simply a basis
for further endless controversy. We regret. there
fore, that you should have rejected what would
clearly be the fair and logical course regarding
arbitration in the premises.
Mitchelrs new proposition, in which all OF the
original demands but the wage increases are
abandoned. the operators say, seem TO be based
on the impression that the wages in the anthra-
cite industry are unduly low. The Anthracite
Strike Commission. the letter says. found the
contrary to be the fact, before the ad-
vances made by It's award. The letter
then gives figures to show that the average
earnings of all classes of anthracite mine work.
ers are much larger than those of the bituminous
mine workers. These figures OF average earn
ings are taken from the report of the Secre-
tary of the Interior Of Pennsylvania for 1904.
and are as follows, eliminating the employees at
the breakers, as there is similar class IN the
bituminous fields: