The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-31
Miners Decline to Submit Their Differences to Board
 of Arbitration
5O9,5OO MEN WILL LEAVE
 THE MINES INDEFINITELY
National, District and Local Treasuries ofMIners Have $2,5oo ,ooo on Hand, of Which $4oo, ,ooo Is In the
 National Treasury.

Indianapolis, Ind, March 90-The na- tional convention of the United Mine Workers of America adjourned sine die today, after authorizing the national and district officers to sign a wage agreement with any coal operator who would agree to pay the scale of 1903, or it's equivalent. for period of two years.
 This is an advance of 5.55 per cent in wages in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and west ern Pennsylvania, and all other districts, except the southwest, composed of Mis- souri, Kansas. Texas, Arkansas and the Indian territory, where an advance of cents per ton Is demanded as the 1903 scale is practically in force In that dis trict.
 The convention declined an offer made by the operators of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio to submit the wage differences to arbitration Where a coal operator owns mines in different districts. the scale must be signed for all the properties at the same time before any will be allowed to run
 Brings Out 5oe,5oo Men.
 The action of the convention will bring out of the mines of the country to- morrow night 5o9.50O men in the anthra- cite and bituminous fields These will re- main on strike until settlements have been signed by districts or with individ- ual operators. The only miners at work Monday will be 25,oo0 men in the New River, Pocahontas Fairmount and Cen tral fields of West Virginia, where an agreement had been made several days ago to allow the men to continue at work until the district convention now in session at Charlestonh has reached a settlement with the operators.
 The joint state conventions of the out lying districts which will be held next week at Charleston, w. Va, Louisville, Ky, Des Mones, la, Saginaw, Mich, and Clearield in central Pennsylvania, were empowered under the action of the convention today to sign agreements with the operators of those states, if they agree to pay the 1903 scale. The men will return to work as soon as the scale is signed If there is disagreement in these joint state conventions, any of the miners can sign the scale and resume
 
 advanced scale.
 Expect to Sign Soon.
 It is anticipated that the scale will be signed in a few days by employers of 75000 miners. The Pittsburg Coal company and F. L. Robbins of western Pennsyl- vania, who also own mines in Ohio, Illi- nois and West Virginia, will it is ex- pected, sign at once, together with a number of independent operators.
 The miners expect to get the advance soon in all the Indiana mines south of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad in Q number of central Indiana mines, in one half of the Illinois mines, and in large percentage of the mines of Ohio. The duration of the strike in Michigan, Ken lucky central Pennsylvania, Iowa and West Virginia can better be determined when the state conventions meet next week, when expressions from tho opera tors as to their intentions will be made Presluent Mitchell said today he believed one-half of the tonnage of Illinois, In- diana, Onion and Western Pennsylvania would sign very soon. and he knew of in- dependent companies in those states hay ing an annual output of 100000 tons who protested here against the advance, but who would pay the advance demanded and their men would resume work. The miners expected that very few operators in the southwestern ulSrlct VIII Slgn at once
 Decline Commission Proposal
 The joint conference of this district ad- journed today after disagreeing, and af- ter the miners had unanimously declined to submit the differences to commission to be appointed by President Roosevelt The national executive board will meet tomorrow morning to take up the details of managing the strike. It was empow- cred to decide as to what employees will be allowed to continue work at the mines to prevent the destruction of the proper ty during the suspension.
 The convention cost the miners organ ization $1O5.000 for per diem, and trans portation of delegates. There is in the national, district and local treasuries of the miners $2,yyy,O00. of which s400,00O is in the national treasury.
 President Mitchell expects to leave Sun- day for New York to meet in joint con ference with the anthracite operators.
 The convention today failed to expel Patrick Dolan and Uriah Bellingham, the Pttsburg district officials. from the or ganizaton by a vote of 45O to S53. The controversy was referred back to the Pittsburg district.