The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-29
MITCHELL SCOLDS OPERATORS.
SAYS THEY WANT TO CONTROL
both PRICES AND LABOR.

From the Railroads.&c. Unable to Com
prehend Operators F1gures-Strik'
Danger From the Foreign Miners
Mitchell of the United Mine Workers thiI
morning received the reply Of the operation
to the wage propositions of Thursday snc
after a careful consideration of it he made
a statement at noon. He said:
Il have just received the formal reply
Of the anthracite coal operators. 1t ap'
pears perfectly evident that they have no
changed their attitude In any particular
In the past six years; that the strikes of 1906
and 1902 were no lesson to them.
There is no instance on record during
the quarter Of a century In which their lead.
ers have dominated the anthracite coal
industry that an advance in wages has
been granted to their employees. Every
concession has been wrung frum them by
strikes and the pressure Of public senti-
ment.
"The railroad coal combination not only
fixes arbitrarily the price at which coal
70 sold to the consumers, but they seek to
fix absolutely and arbitrarily the price at
which labor shall be bought.
1T eeems that every conciliatory over
ture we have made for q peaceful settle
ment has been interpreted by them as a
sign Of weakness and our conservatism
as an evidence Of oowardioe.
'The question rs asked by the operators
where 10 the advance to come from II it
Is not charged UP to the consumers of do
mestlo coal. 1t occurred to me that the
small advance proposed by the miners
might have been taken OFF the exorbitant
freight rates charged by them.
What the outcome will be cannot be
predicted until the convention is held.
Personally l am much disappointed, and
/ am sure all mine employees expected
more consideration than they have re-
ceived.'
Mr.. Mitchell added that he would probably
call a meeting Of the sub-scale committee
for next Wednesday in Scranton, to prepare
a formal report for the convention.
trying to give the public a false impression
OF what the 10 cents a ton increase asked
by the mine workers meant by saying 1t
would neceesitate an increase In the cost OF
coal Of IS cents a ton.
Unjust confess that I am unable to follow
their figuring on this, I" he said. -The best
that ! can do Ia to figure that 1t would in
crease the value Of domestic sizes about
II or IS cents a ton, and that is a liberal
estimate. Where they find that it will
cost IS cents a ton / am unable to discover.
In this reply the figures are set forth, but
they do not enlighten me-
He read the explanation of the operators
expressed in decimal fractions. There it
is he said. But how they arrive at the
conclusion that a 10 cents a ton advance
on the production of 81 900 900 tons will
make 1t necessary to charge So cents a ton
extra for the domestic sizes which must
bear the advance it is Impossible for me
TO see, considering that domestic sizes
65 per cent. of the production"
There will be no further communication
to the operators before the convention ex-
cept the formal acknowledgment Of the
reply which President Mitchell sent to-day,
The reply Of the operators oooasioned
no surprise In this region, 1t was ex-
pected generally by the mine workers as
well as the public.
I'VE have been curious to observe its
effect upon the men" said one Of the OPP
"and from the reports we receive
we learn that there is a quiet determination
TO await the result Of the convention. Then
will return to work If it declares
strike, We also learn that there are to
Pc IN q number OF the locals candidates
Tor delegate who are already expressing
heir determination to vote for a esump-
OF work, so that If there is a decision
against a strike we will be ready, and II
strike Is ordered we will also be ready
10 resume work with what men we can
VIC w uO Dltllt lHc llIt u |
holding of now. They are not going to
a ohanoeu until they find they have to-
Discussing the conditions in the region,
the feeling among the men, a
eader Of the non-English speaking workers
said to-day:
THE opinions that you generally hear
'egarding tie feeling of the mine workers
8 the opinion Of the English speaking
workers. Ninety per cent. OF them, l under
are opposed to a strike.
But this utterance is deceptive. These
speaking workers are not only in
he minority among the mine workers, but
hey are also the men who get the best
They are the miners who work fewer
eight hours and are pretty well satisfied
But you do not hear the opinion of the great
of the mine workers because they
10 not speak English readily.
"These are the men who want a strike and
ire demanding 1t because their wages now
ire low and they believe the union can in
'rease them, They will make good strikers,
90, because they can live on little and are
ardy. Most Of them are single men with
10 one dependent upon them and they can
eep up a strike for q very Ions time without
ufering.'
will they be represented at the con-
ention by delegates in proportion TO their
umberf" he was asked.
There may not be, the proportionate
vision but they will be well represented
nd they will make themselves heard, and
will find that these are the men who
insist Upon President Mitchell advo-
ating a strike and the convention order
lg it, ,
Another well informed leader of the men
as asked if the delegates now being elected
ould be instructed,
Il expect he said, that they will be in
to follow the advice of President
.itchell at the convention and it will really
3 q case Of the convention doing what he
eems best. If he says strike they will
rike; but If he advises the acceptance of I
e operators proposition they will accept
and will not consider It q defeat for the 1
MON either" {
SCRANTON, April 2S.-While 1t was gen
ally admitted here this evening that the ]
for a strike are greater than yes '
rday, nevertheless there are many opera (
rs and miners who believe the differences t
be compromised and that the sus- I
,nsion will end within two weeks. !
Despite this some of the closest friends
John Mitchell are firm in the conviction
at q strike is inevitable. II is plain to be
say Mitchell's close friends, that he ,
IS panied, surprised and disappointed I
,er the reply made by the operators. '
A statement made to THE Sun represen- {
tive by one OF the delegates already
,oted to the convention to meet in this r
y next Thursday bears out the impression, I
at unless there is a decided change in the
uation q strike is inevitable. This dele {
te was elected by the Diamond local in c
Is city, and is a leader among the United A
ne Workers. He said:
sNLhnN L. thnra 70 do h,,t atrtlra nAru