Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-02-03
Is Now One Of The Most
Promising Possibilities.
Miners and Operators Unable
to Agree on Wage Scale
Jnist coafefaies a Failure and Miners
Couvsatun Aajouns Sine Die.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Feb. Twin pros
meets nointing to a strike of $4,000 min
ers unless the present deadlock IS
broken by some unforeseen lnhuence,
the National Convention of the Nation
al Mine Workers of america ADJOURN
ed this afternoon after the dissoiu-
ton without reaching a settlement of
q wage scale, of the joint conference OF
operators and miners Of the Central
and tie Southwestern districts Presi-
dent John Mitchell of the Miners Union
advised the delegates to go home and
look to the securing of a defense lund
in view of a possible industrial strife
between miners and operators, the
miners having refused to renew the
nresent wage scale and the operators
having refused to grant an increase IN
wages.
The apparent determination of both
operators and miners indicates that
neither will make overtures TO theother
for further negotiations; and, as lndi-
Gated by the speeches of both the rad
icaIs and the conservatives of both or
ganiza tons at the joint conference, II
is probable that the $4,000 men con-
trolled by the United Mine Workers
will walk out OF the mines IN every
mart OF the United States on April ].
There have been intimations but no
United States and the National CIVIC
Federation may be asked to Set III mo
ton negotiations looking to reha-
bilitation Of the joint agreement or at
least a discussion of some possible
means of bringing the operators ana
the miners together for further nego-
tiationS.
During an interview this afternoon,
President John Mitchell said:
"It is true that never in the history
of this country has strike Of such
far-reaclling effect been threatened. IL
means 4 national suspension OF MN
ing if the strike comes on at the eAPi-
ration of our mining contracts, March
81. and it inl iulcs the anthracite olS-
;rict.. do MOI .'.cw whether this ac-
! ton will have any >i%ft on the Ilect-
ing OF the anthracite milcrS and oper-
ators Feb. 10, but it is the plan EoW 10
, meet th, anthracite operators at mat
time
, according to figures given by the n2-
tional officers Of the miners organlza-
ton, the eADeCleu lhc, IL
one. will bring out about 100000 non
union miners iii West Virginia anu
PENNSYLVANIA. with 450,000 union min
crS.
The anthracite strike, he said. had
cost as estimated by the anthracite
strike commission $4,000. 900 of wages
10 the miners, s5O0o0.0 900 of profits to
he o;,erators, 100000 loss in freight
nf lnSG raised
me total figures much over $lOo,o00,Odo
or the strike that lasted little over
e weeks.
President Mitchell estimated that
our persons are dependent on each
miner and a national strike, such as is
.lanncd, would affect nearly o,ooo'"oo
;ersons dependent on mining Tor Drcad.
With the assessments from now TO
hpril |. the miners with nearly $3,0oo,-
600 on hand. could be in possession OF
something like S. 000C0o by April l.
The coal operators and miners OF the
central competitive and southwest dis
tricts met in joint conference today III
a final effort to reach an agreement.
President Mitchell announced that the
miners had refused to accept con-
! tinuance of the present scale.
| On behalf of the operators F. l..
! Robbins of Pittsburg moved that the
| present scale be affirmed for the year
| beginning April l, next. Mr.. TaVlor,
an Illinois operator offered an amend
ment embodying . proposition that had
/ been previously rejected. The amend
ment was lost, operators and miners
voting solidly.
Mr.. Robbins then said he wanted to
| go on record as it seemed the future
: Of the interstate movement was iii per-
II.
Mr.. Robbins reviewed the difference
in the condition of the miners now and
when the interstate and joint confer
! encc movement went into effect. ~ ou
have higher wages and shorter hours.
| he said. without argument and in the
face of all fairness you yesterday met
and repudiated a fair proposition. We
do not propose to have miners Of ether
states, with conditions entirely differ
ent from ours, dictate as to the set
tlement of affairs in our district. You
have conference with the anthracite
| operators coming. If l were an an
| thracite operator l would refuse to deal
| with you"
| MI. Mitchell, in reply said that coal
was selling at the mines at from 50 to
] so cents ton higher than it was sell
! ing seven months ago and, yet the
miners were asked TO continue low
erage, scale than two years ago. In
closing he said:
I'VE have come to the parting of the
ways and it seems to be the only
thing left to do is to go home TO over
come these seemingly insurmountable
obstacles. We deeply regret the ncces-
sity for such a step but we feel that the
time has come when you can give US
an advance in wages without Gamag-
ing your property interests to any
| considerable extent"
! Herman Perry. president of the Illi-
nois miners, spoke briefly az did several
others. Cries of question rose from
! the miners side of the house. W. d.
! Ryan moved the previous question
/ This was carried and the motion of F.
L. Robbins that the present wage scale
be continued in force was put.
! Patrick Do!an voted Yes for the
| Pennsylvania miners. The vote was
/ challenged and Mr. Dolan said: