Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-26

coal mining April 1 is inevitable, many
of the coal-carrying railroads have
served notice on operators that they
would net carry coal for commercial
purposes over their lines after yester-
day. They proposed to hold the entire
weeks production for their own USE
This phase of the situation was dis
cussed by the few operators who re-
manned here over Sunday. Some of
them admitted that they had received
such notice and would have difficulty
In filling their contracts. That there
will be an immediate rise in the price
of coal is the opinion of most of the
operators here, altho they assert that
1t will benefit the retailers and not the
mine owners.
That final agreement between the
operators and the miners will come to-
day seems almost certain, as matters
appeared last night. No conferences
of any kind We're held yesterday and
the operators believe that the meeting
of the scale committee this morning
was merely perfunctory and that moth
ing new would be suggested by either
side.
Changes Are Suggested.
The interstate agreement which has
existed for seven years, covering H.
linois, Indiana, Ohio and western
Pennsylvania, will not be renewed.
There is talk of having commission
appointed thoroly to investigate the
subject Of rates and reconstruct q new
scale that will take into account all the
conditions which have arisen since the
present scale was adopted.
In the reconstruction it Is suggested
that Illirois, Indiana and Iowa be plac-
ed in district by themselves; that
Ohio, western Pennsylvania and West
Virginia be made another district, ana
that the scale of wages to be paid
miners and the differentials between
machine and pick mining be adjusted
so as to place all on a better competi-
tive basis than they now are.
The Illinois operators do not believe
they can get justice in the present con-
vention, and they do not want renew
al of the interstate agreement. Tney
assert that within the last few years
new conditions have arisen IN the MIN
ing industry which places them out OF
line with their competitors.
Conditions in Illinois.
1--WE want the public to understand
the actual conditions in Illinois," said
Herman Justi. commissioner Of the IL
linois Coal Operators Association, last
night. 1T is not the increase in wages
that the miners are asking to which
the Illinois operators object. That IS
small affair. If competition Is fair
between different coal mining states
the question Of wages iss OF little mo-
ment. 1t is frequently said that the
public has to pay any increase, and
that it does not object to small M
crease TO the miner in order to avert
a strike. That argument is not appll-
cable to the situation in Illinois.
There is no intention on the part OF
the operators to increase the price OF
coal to the public, but even If they did
it would not relieve the Illinois oper-
ators. We are actually losing ground
in the Chicago market. which under
normal conditions should be the prin-
cipal market for Illinois coal. The rea-
son is plain. A railroad entering Chi
cago runs thru mining districts in Hill
nois and passes over the line into the
Indiana coal fields. The differential
between pick and machine mining In
Illinois is Z cents ton. In Indiana
it is 121a cents a ton.
Lose to Indiana.
"That means that machines can be
placed in the Indiana mines at a profit
to the operator, while across the state
line in Illinois, under the same condi-
tons. machine mining cannot be car
ried on except at loss. That is only
one of the conditions imposed on the
Illinois operators, which will drive
them to the wall unless there is re-
adjustment of the scale.
"In the interests of peace this IN
equality might have been borne for
another year, but the expense OF shot
fires has been added, and the oper-
ators have come to the conclusion that
they might as we'll make a stand now
for what they believe to be justice. The
question cannot be settled until 1t is
settled finally"
AS to the. effect Of a suspension on
the coal supply, the west is not as we'll
provided for as the east. The bitumi-
nous coal in the Pittsburg and In the
Hooking Valley regions in Ohio can be
stored for six months without depreci-
ating to any extent in value. With IL
linois coal 1t Is different and few OF the
R,y