Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1906-04-05
miners NARROW
THE STRIKE AREA
VOTE TO, CONTINUE WORK FOR
OPERATORS WHO AGREE TO
OLD WAGE SCALE
OFFER TO ARBlTRATE +.
DIFFERENCES REFUSED
Believed That at Least Half of Own
ers Will Sign Demands of Men
Union Officials Meet to Plan Cam
paign.


with the bltuminous coal operators of
the country, capturing, it is estimated
fully one-half of the forces of the mag.
mates. The convention of miners ad.
journed sine die Friday, after author.
lzlng the national and district officers
to sign a wage agreement with any
coal operator who would agree to pay
the scale of 1903 or it's equivalent for
a period of two years. This is an ad-
vance of 5.55 per cent. in wages in I'LL
nois, Indiana, Ohio and western Penn
sylvania and all other districts except
the southwest, composed of Missouri.
Kansas, Texas, Arkansas and the In
dian territory, where an advance of
three cents per ton is demanded as the
1903 scale is practically in force in
that district.
Refuse to Arbitrate.
The convention declined an offer
made by the operators of Illinois, In
diana and Ohio to submit the wage
differences to arbitration. Where a
coal operator owns mines in different
districts the scale must be signed for
all the properties at the same time be-
fore any will be allowed to run. The
action of the convention will bring out
of the mines of the country .5O9,5OO
men in the anthracite and bituminous
fields. These will remain on strike
until settlements have been signed by
districts or with individual operators
BY the conventions action the strike
area will be narrowed to so per cent
of the bitumirous field. The purpose
of the miners is to minimize the force
of the clash and eventually to under
mine the positian of the operators by
allowing part of the miners to keep
at work all Of the time while concen-
trating their efforts and earnings
where the opposition Of unfriendly
owners is keenest.
Executive: Board Meets.
The national executive board OF the
United Mine Workers OF America met
Saturday to take. up, the details of
managing the strikes: 1t was empow-
erred to decide as to what work en-
ployers will be allowed to continue
work at the mines to prevent the. de-
struction of the property during the
suspension The convention cost the
miners organization $1O5,O0O for per
diem and transportation and delegates.
Before the board went into, executive
session. at the national headquarters.
OF the mine workers members said a.
formal strike order would not be is
sued, but at the. close OF work the
men wouldi leave the. mines with the r
t.o.s and would not RETURN until the
scale had been signed by the operators,
and they had been. So notified by the
district officials. Members OF the
board said that every step possible
would be taken to prevent violence,
and formal declarations to- the miners
forloEdding rioting or destruction OF
property and urging them to, properly
conGuct them: elves, probably would
be issued. Me:nbers of the board said
t ey wee in favor OF issuing orders to
pur1; men, a:Orers and such men as
would be- nee e3s. ny to pro, ect the
miner to continue at work providing
the operators would: agree: to pay them
the wages demanded by the union
Believe Conference Will Fail.
The miners are, new preparing for
the conflict with the anthracite own
conference, set for TUESDAY between
President Mitchell end his fellow
members of the anthracite miners
COMMITTEES and George f. B. er and
tee will fail to result in an reema
and the 10000 or m>re anthrac:t?
workers will JOINT the strike of btu
n.lnDus men. +
IT,. as Pres; dent Mitchell and Opera
tor F.. l.. Robbins preolct, 6 per cent
o. the bilumjnous m NJ owners accept
the offer OF the uni n ..low ali
mines that sign the 1909 scale to- oD
crate, about 22t,000 Of t e $4,000 bj-
tumino IS mines Wi strike. These.
with the: anthracite miners, Will make
an army u 371,O0O men enga ged in the
graf struggle.
+ Hard Coal Magnates 1nor lacable.
Baer and his associates, it is known,
are implacable in their hostility to the
union demands, and it is declared
that they would never have consented
to meet the miners Tuesday but for the
request of President Roosevelt and the
pressure OF public opinion. They are
known to be eager for war. They de-
clare the request of the miners for an
advance is absurd, and make the usual
plea that they cannot make any money
under present conditions.
The miners. however, raise the same
points which were brought SO effective
ly against the bituminous operators by
President Mitchell and Operator Rob
bins, who charged the owners with
forcing a strike through sheer greed
and desire to hold up the public by
selling the huge quantities of coal
they have stored up at famine prices
Huge Coal Stores on Hand.
Fully 15,OOO,OOO tons of hard coal are
said to be stored within few miles
Of Philadelphia and New York, while
l : = I. -.