The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-11
ANSWER OF OPERATORS Counter Proposition IS Submitted. MINERS ARE DISAPPOINTED Limitation of Questions to Be
 Passed Upon. Ownuers Contend That Many Things Wanted By the Miners Already Have Been Settled Permanently
 By Commission.

cite operators at their conference with the mine workers here today. declined the p1 oposition to have the Cancellation Board arbitrate all grievances submit ted by the wage workers. They made counter proposition that the commit tee appointed by President Roosevelt in 1902 be requested to decide whether any changes in conditions in the hard coal region. have occurred which re- quires that the award of the Commis- sion shall be modified
 The mine owners limit the inquiry to two griavances--wages and a meth cd for the adjustment of complaints. The miners have taken the proposal under consideration and may give the operators an answer Thursday. when another conference will be held In connection with today's conference, George F. Baer. chairman of the mine owners subcommittee, made public u letter from the Independent operators In which they give their views of the situation and express the firm convic. ton that any agreement to arbitrate with the United Mine Workers will be an unjustifiable surrender to anarchy and mob violence"
 The letter came as a great surprise bring tho contending parties closer to . gether.
 Although both parties are now com mitted to arbitration. they are still far apart. But confidence is expressed that a peaceful settlement will bc brought about.
 There Is every indication that the counter arbitration proposition will not be accepted by the miners as presented although they view with favor the operators selected by the anthracite Qtrika mi et aIA trfk will be accepted by President Mitchell # he can induce tho coal companies ta widen the scope of inquiry.
 Disappointment to Miners.
 The endeavors of the operators to eliminate all except two of the miners grievances was a keen disappointment to the men and if their attitude can be taken as an indication of thsir action, they will fight hard to have some of their other demands taken up. such as an eight hour day. the weighing of coal and the check off. If the scale committee cannot come to an agree ment with the operators, it Is not like- ly that a convention of miners will be called to further instruct the commit tee. The answer of the operators:
 To Messrs John Mitchell and others.
 representing the anthracite mine
 Gentlemen-You suggest that your propositions. which include recognition of the union, check off, limitation of the number of men permitted to work under a contract miner, limitation of the amount of work which may be done by each miner. no termination of -em- ployment of any individual without arr bitration, and supervision of our mining operations generally. with all the ma chinery your organization has created for controlling the coal business, shall be submitted to the Board of Conclla- ton created by the Anthracite Strike Commission, board with which you have shown your dissatisfaction by asking in the proposition which you have submitted that 1t be abolished.
 Your proposal. as we understand 1t, even involves the submission by us of the question of making an agreement with the United Mine Workers of America" to the exclusion of the non- union workers-a question which we did not submit to the anthracite com mission for reasons then stated in which we were fully justified by that commission.
 Every question that you have pre- sented was in some form or other, af- ter careful Investigation, passed upon by the anthracite strike commission a commission composed of disinterested
 
 been faithfully lived up to. Although the duration of the award was limited to the 1st of April. 1906. 1t was our expectation and that of the public that the principles upon which it was made would be permanent and continuing. The expectation was justified because the commission, in its hearings and awards, was guided by the Presidents express desire that it should endeavor to establish the relations between the employers and the wage earners in the anthracite coal field on just and per manent basis"
 Cannot he Reopened.
 We cannot assent to reopen the fun damental questions decided by the an thracite strike commission. They have formulated principles and rules of right to govern the relations between em- ploye and employer which have re- ceived the hearty assent of all good citizens of the land,
 We stand firmly on the principles so clearly enunciated In the award. No new commission or arbitration should have the power to overrule them. Any arbitration that does not permanently settle such questions between the same parties is a farce.
 It is essential to the welfare of the country that these principles shall be firmly maintained.
 While controv ,rsies involving in their nature generally accepted principles for the conduct of Il business ought not to be submitted to arbitration. diff Gerencos Us to such matters as wages may at different times be subject to this method of iecision In the pres- ent case, however. the anthracite strike commission broadly covered the whole field of the controversy and by wise provision of a sliding scale sought to remove the necessity for any future controversy or arbitration even on the question of wages.
 Although the wages were advanced in 1900 10 a sum varying from 10 to If per cent. the commission In 1903 first further advanced wages 10 per cent or it's equivalent and then estab- lisbed tho wages SO advanced as the mininum to he paid under all condi- tions. quite irrespective of the price the operators may receive for their coal. Tn addition. 1t established the sliding scale under which as the prices advanced above $4.50. f. O. b., New York harbor. wages are increased at the rate of per cent. for each cents advance in the price of coal. This gives the men the benefit of any increase in price,