Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-03-25
COAL STRIKE
LOOMS LARGE
ON HORIZON
Operators and Miners Rapidly
Drifting Further Apart.
225,0OO MEN MAY Be
CALLED OUT NEXT SATURDAY
Bitter Dissensions Among Mine Own
ers at indianapolis Help to Make
the Outlook DiscOuraging.

committees since Monday afternoon the
coal operators and miners at the CEN
tral competitive district consisting of
Illinois Indiana, Ohio and western
Pennsylvania and those of the south
western district, composed of Missouri,
Kansas, Texas, Arkansas and Indian
territory are no nearer an agreement
upon a wage scale to go into effect
in one week than they were when the
former joint conference adjourned in
disagreement on February %.
The present wage scale expires next
Saturday and unless an agreement is
reached by the miners and operators
before that time 225, 900 union bitum-
inous miners will be called from the
mines In the states named.
The present scale expires next Sat
urday and unless an agreement Is
reached by the miners and operators
before that time 225,000 union btum-
nous miners will be called from the
mines In the states named.
The joint scale committee of the
central competitive district adjourned
this afternoon after being in session
four days to meet Monday morning,
when a motion to report a disagree
ment will be offered and it is believed
Will be carried. The session of the
joint conference to receive this report
VII according to the present program
be called to meet Monday afternoon.
During the four days the operators
and miners have beer In conference
not motion or proposition offered by
either side upon the wage scale has
been adopted and in every case where's
-
ilatly refused.
Operators Divided.
The operators have been confront
ed with serious dissensions in their
own ranks. r. l.. Robbins of the
Western Pennsylvania operators, has
agreed to pay an advance of 5.55 per
cent, which Is the demand made by
the miners, but the operators in Ill-
nois, Indiana and Ohio have firmly re-
fused to pay any advance.
Under the rule of the joint commit
tee. the votes of both operators and
miners must be recorded as units and
this division of the operators has re-
suited in the defeat of every motion
not favorable to all Of them.
The meetings of the joint scale
committee have been marked by many
bitter personalities between the opera
tors. Mr.. Robbins has announced that
he intends to pay the Increase in wag.
es asked by the miners, not only in the
mines of the Plttsburg Coal company
of which he Is president, but also in
his own mines in western Pennsylvan-
Ia, Ohio and Illinois. Independent op-
orators in western Pennsylvania
represented by G. A. Magoon, have an
nounced through him that they viii
pay the advance If Mr.. Robbins does
Other independent mine owners have
also signihed their intention to pay
the advance II those in the districts
do so. Those of Illinois. Indiana and
Ohio declare they cannot afford to pay
any advance whatever, and President
Mitchell of the Mine Workers, has firf-
ly declared that no settlement will be
made unless an advance i'm wages Is
given. Whether the officers of the
Mine Workers will allow the miners to
sign the scale and go to work in dis
tricts where the advance is allowed, Is
a question that the operators have
tried in vain to get President Mitch
ell of the Mine Workers. to answer.
The only expression Mr. Mitchell has
made on the subject was today when
he remarked in committee meeting.
that the course the operators were
taking might bring that solution
II 10 iti TAM Nlltll NilN ildNibildl
convention which must ratify any ac-
tion taken by the joint conference
would not allow any district to sign the
Joint scale and to work with other dis
tricts idle, even II such action were
indorsed by the national officers.
The statement was made by a ma
tional officer of the United Mine
Workers. that according to the con-
struction by President Mitchell of the
bylaws governing the central states
agreement no contract can be signed
with less than fifty per cent of the
operators. This was explained to
mean individual operators and not
operators controlling fifty per cent OF
the tonnage Of the district involved
In the contract.
1t Is freey stated that both operators
and miners are playing a waiting
game. as each desires to throw upon
the other the responsibility for a
strike.
When the Joint scale committee re-
ports 4 disagreement to a joint con-
ference the fight will he renewed upon
The floor and the finale will then soor
hc reached.
The operators and miners of tht
southwestern district will determine
their position after the discussion II
the central competitive district ha,
heen concluded.