The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-27
Joint Scale Committee of Coal
Miners and Operators
Reports a Disagreement to the
Joint Conference.
MINERS ULTIMATUM
Was Rejected by Their Enc
plOyers This Morning.
Result Submitted by Mitchell
and Adopted Unanimously.

Indianapolis, Ind, March 27.-The
joint scale committee Of the bitumin-
Gus coal operators and miners of the
central competitive district after being
in session one week, decided today to
report a disagreement to a session Of
joint conference of miners to be held
at o'clock
The committee was in session but
short time today. 1t met at $3.50 o'clock
and after a half hour spent in general
talk that bore no relation to the ques-
tion at issue, q motion was made and
unanimously adopted that a disagree
ment be reported.
The national officers of the miners
in the committee yesterday afternoon
had strongly reiterated their former
declarations that under no circumstan-
ces would they sign a scale at any
thing less than an advance in wages
of 800 per cent and President Perry of
the Illinois miners, had assured the
operators that no Illinois union or dis
trict would be allowed to sign unless
the advance was given to every union
mine in the state. This ultfmatum was
received by the operators in silence
and an adjournment was at once taken
until this morning, when the motion to
report a disagreement was at once Of
fered by President Mitchell of the
4uliACIS anu CdIL16Q uua1lIlOuSlY.
When the "a operators and miners
came from the committee room there
was no laughing and jesting as hau
been seen at the close of previous ses-
sions. All were serious and there were
indications that each man was laboring
under a nervous strain.
President Mitchell declined to make
a statement. Asked if he would per-
NIT the scale to be signed where an
advance was offered even if all the
mines should not work he refused to
reply
II shall make my statement in the
open session Of the joint conference
this afternoon" said he Mr., Mitchell
action of the conference when he
would go east to take up cOnsidera-
ton of the anthracite situation. A
meeting of the miners national con
evention will be held immediately fol-
lowing the adjournment Of the joint
conference. Should this convention be
held tomorrow Mr. Mitchell could not
reach the east for a conference before
Friday or Saturday.
Frank McKenna, one Of the western
Pennsylvania district miner board
members said:
The men viii go to work in the
bins or any one else meets our de-
mands we will work. The state con-
stabulary cannot keep them from go
ing to work
MI ftODD1QS Sa1Q TINS aIEGTnOOns
L shall go before the miners and
again offer them the 1903 scale. I shall
demand that they operate my mines.
have met their demands. They will
not dare to decline because some of the
miners out in Indiana, Illinois and the
west say No
The mines of the Pittsburg Coal
company and its allied companies in
western Pennsylvania and Illinois VIII
be put in operation. The men will
work even if those in other states try
to lock them out.
George A Magoon, leader of the
Western Federation Pennsylvania inde-
pendents, was seen again today Rob
bins says he is going to operate his
mines? What will the Independents
do?'
I'VE will have to operate to protect
our markets and hold our men
''Will you pay the union scale-the
advance?"
No"
You will operate on the open shop
basis?"
yes" he declared.
President Dennis Sullivan of the Ohio
miners said:
I'VE shall have little trouble in our
state It will not be necessary for the
operators to post guards.
THE miners will protect their prop
erty. We have been friends for long
time and though we differ on this pro-
position, we will still seek to deserve
the good wiI of our opponents.
I'VE are very much in earnest but
our men will be q unite against van
dalism and violence That spirit also
viii be found in Indiana, Illinois and
other states"
Asked If the miners union could con-
troll lawless elemnts that take a hand
in mining strikes. he said.
fI think we can We viii try