Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-20
MINERS ARE
FOR PEACE
UNIONS CONVENTION AT INDIAN
APoLIs ADOPTS SCALE CON-
MITTEE's REPORT
MITCHELL's ADVICE.

President of National Body OF the
Miners Favors an Amlcable Settle.
ment Of Difficulties That Threaten
Strike in Coal Mining Districts.
Indianapolis, Ind, March 19.-The
convention of the United Mine Work
ers Saturday voted to appropriate $5,-
900 for legal defense of the officers of
Western Federation of Miners who are
under indictment in idaho, charged
with conspiracy. The convention also
adopted a. resolution favoring woman's
suffrage and defeated resolution de-
claring in favor of government owner
ship Of mines.
To Drop Ryan Resolution.
1t is reported this afternoon upon
high authority that the report Of the
scale committee, adopted in the con-
vention Friday. will be regarded as
virtually repeating the Ryan resolu-
tion which will be allowed to quietly
| fade into oblivion. This course would
permit of each district signing the
wage scale independently of the 9TH
| erS.
Report Cites Presidents Action.
The report of the scale committee in
full, as read by John F. White, secre-
tary Of the committee, and adopted by
the convention unanimously, ran thus:
Whereas, the President Of the
United States has requested President
Mitchell to make another effort to
avert the strike Of the coal miners Of
the country, and
Whereas, President Mitchell has
called this convention as per request
of the President of the United States,
therefore be it
Resolved, that we heartily indorse
the action of President Mitchell in
this matter and that we hold ourselves
in readiness to meet our employers for
the purpc & of endeavoring to effect a
satisfactory settlement of the wage
question"
1t is planned now to have the first
joint meeting of the operators and
miners on Tuesday. The operators will
arrive in force on Sunday and will
convene Monday morning at 1C
o'clock The first matter to be taken
up will be the question of accepting
the invitation of the miners for join
conference. Little doubt exists that
such conference will be held.
The scale committee will meet the
bituminous operators and endeavor tc
/ get compromise proposition from
them. 1t is hoped an offer will be
made to bring the wages up to the
standard which existed before the 555
per cent reduction in 1902. If such a
proposal is made the miners conven
A ton probably will accept 1t. The Ryan
resolution will not stand in the way
Ii the operators state they wish to set
/ tie Oh such basis the miners will be
willing. Each district even, may set
tie it's own dispute by itself. AS fo1
the anthracite situation, that will be
shaped largely by the results of the bi
/ luminous negotiations"
/ The anthracite dispute is waiting
upon the bituminous. It is the policy
Of the miners leaders to play the bi
luminous operators, 50 to speak
against the anthracite operators. Ar
appeal to the strike commission named
by President Roosevelt, therefore
will probably be made at later date
II IL IL IS .uGCluSu upOu.
Miners Are For Peace.
Responsive to President Mitchell's
wishes the miners national conven
ton yesterday decided upon concilia
tory measures in the hope Of avoiding
strike 1t now remains for the bit
luminous operators to adopt similar
attitude and meet the miners half way
/ The early arrival in Indianapolis Of
Francis L. Robbins, who came yester
day afternoon from Pittsburg and i'm
mediately went into conference with
Mr.. Mitchell, added to the hope thai
this might be accomplished. Neither
Robbins nor Mitchell was willing tt
disclose the nature of their talk, but
1t is said to have been based entirely
upon the possibilities of a compromise
in the soft coal fields. Soon after the
meeting between the biggest soft Goa
operator in the country and the min
ers' national leader the national scale
committee reported favorably on 3
i meeting with the operators for The
| purpose Of endeavoring to effect a sat
isfactory settlement Of the wage ques
ton"
Il Explains MticheI's Policy.
The report was not specific ant
made no recomm endations in detail re
; garding modification Of the miners
!. demands. The program which Presi
dent Mitchell wishes followed in thu
!, negotiations, however, was explained
!. by one Of his close advisers as fol
lows:
The convention adjourned thi
morning until Monday.
Bollermakers Name President.
Kansas City, March 1.-THE Con
solidated Brotherhood Of Boilerm aker!
and Iron Shipbuilders of America, a
their annual convention here today
elected George F. Dunn Of Indianapo