The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-03
HOPE FOR SOLUTION
TROUBLE REMOTE
Mitchell Advises Delegates to Go
Horne and Look to Securing
Defense Fund in View
Of Coming Strife
Uproar in the
Conference.
(gy Associated press.)

INDIANAPOLIS, IND, February g.
With prospects pointing to strike OF
$4,000 coal miners unless the present
deadlock Is broken by some Unforeseen
influence. the national convention OF the
United Mine Workers of America ad-
journed this afternoon after the dissoIu-
tion without reaching a settlement of n
wage scale, of the joint conference of
operators and miners of the Central and
South western districts.
President John Mitchell of the miners
union, advised the delegates to 20 home
and look to the securing of a defense
fiind. In view OF q possible Industrial
strife between miners and operators, tho
trdners having refused to renew the
present wage scale and the operators
having refused to grant an increase in
wages.
The apparent determination OF botli
operators and miners indicates tina,
neither will make overtures to the other
Tor further negotiations. and. as indi-
Gated by the speeches of both the fad.-
Gals and the conservatives OF both or
ganizations at the Joint conference. 1t is
probable that the 5000 men con.rollet.
by the United Mine Workers will wall.
out of the mines In every part of tho
United States on April 1st
There have been int.mations but no
assertions. that the President of the
United States and the National civic
Federation may be asked to set In mo-
ton negotiations looking 10 n rchab.l!-
tat:Sn Of the Joint agreement. or ut
least discussion of some possible means
OF bringing the operators and miners to-
gether for further negotiations.
Uproar Among Miners
In the Joint conference to-day a mo-
ton made by +. l.. Robbins, the spokes
man for the operators, that the present
wage scale be continued was lost. ms II
required under The rules. unafr5r,lc...s
vote to carry any of the principal pruDo-
sfiions.
Operators of Ohio. Indiana and Penn
sylvania voted for the motion: Illinois
operators declined TO vote. The miners
OF Ohio, Indiana and Illinois voted against
the proposition. Patrick DoIan, president
of the Pennsylvania miners, voted his
State for the proposition, which caused
an uproar among the miners Els right
to vote the Pennsylvania miners for the
continuance of tho present scale, in spite
of the fact that the Pittsburx convent on
had voted for an increase. was chal-
lenged by several other Pennsylvania
miners. but on an appeal TO the chair the
vote WAS so recorded.
When the miners convention was
opened a motion was made to expel Doan
for "traitorous conduct
Dolan defended his action and Pfcsl-
dent Mitchell sustained a point of or
der against the motion. AT n caucus
of the delegates from the Pittsburg dis
tric:, Dolan's action was condemned.
This action was reported to the conven-
ton. which then adjourned sine die.
The National Executive Board will meet
tomorrow.
What Mitchell Says.
During an interview this afternoon
President John Mitchell said: ut Is
true that never in the history OF this
country has a strike OF such far-reach-
ing effect been threatened.
ut means national suspension Of min.
ing II the strikA.somes on at the expira-
tion of our mining contracts, March a1st,
and 1t includes the anthracite districts.
1 do not know whether this action will
have any effect on the meeting of the
anthracite miners and operators on Feb
ruary 18th, but tits the plan now to meet