New-York tribune., 1906-04-10
NEW COAL PROPOSAL.
OPERATORS TO Make 1T.
Conference Postponed TIL To-day
to Hear Peace Offer.

The anthracite miners committee OF seven
was in readiness. with President Mitchell Of the
United Mine Workers at its head. to go TO meet
the operators in joint session in the Jersey Cen
tral Building yesterday when Mitchell was in
formed that the conference was unavOidaDy
postponed until to-day at 1;3O p m The noti-
fcation came over the telephone IN the form OF
messages from President Baer Of the Jersey
Central Railroad and President Thomas Of the
IehIgh Valley Railroad TO Mitchell at the Ash
land House.
It was learned definitely in an unofficial way
that a counter proposition would be made to the
miners to-day by the operators. but 1t could not
be learned whether IL would be a proposal 70
arbitrate the question to whether any new
fact has been brought up raising questions not
covered by the award OF the Anthracite Strike
Commission. or something entirely new,
One Of the leading operators was asked as to
the stand the operators will take to-day. He
replied
IF you guess that the operators will make q
counter proposition to the miners you will guess
right. If you guess that the operators will be
for an agreement longer than the two years
agreement proposed by Mitchell you Will guess
right"
He declined to be more explicit j. L Cake.
who represents the independent operators on
| the operators committee OF seven. not in
| town yesterday. as he attending a meeting
of the independent operators in wilkes-Barre-
The other six members OF the committee met IN
the Jersey Central Building at noon. and 1t was
said went over the details OF their offer TO tho
miners. which they will submit to-day. Befora
| the operators went into session, President
Truesdale Of the Delaware. Lackawanna s.
| Western Company was asked If he favored ar
bitration. He said:
| "AIl can say is that my company. along with
others. wants to bring about peace without a
sacrifice OF our independence"
| There were various other reasons rurnored for
postponing the meeting. There was talk about
split on the question OF arbitration among the
| operators committee of seven and It was said
that the representatives Of the Delaware, Lacka-
| wanna & Western and Lehigh Valley companies
| were more strongly in favor of arbitration than
| the others 1t was denied on behalf OF the
operators that there was any division of senti-
| ment among them There were many indepen-
dent operators TO hear from. it was stated and
they wanted to have their sentiments fully on
the subject before they took any action.
The companies. however. mine So per cent OF
the coal, and the independent operators are get
ting fewer. ]. l. Cake. their representative. will
be here to-day and meeting OF the operators
full committee Of seven will be held at noon
to prepare for their conference with the miners
later
This indicates that whatever offer the opera
tors have to make to the miners is complete in
its details and requires only to be ratified on
behalf OF the independent men. There would be
no time for any discussion.
At the Ashland House one of Mitcheus aids
said that at one Of the joint conferences with
the operators District President Nichols. Of the
miners. in a speech. said that the miners had
lived up TO the arbitration agreement. He then
said that President Truesdale. OF the Delaware.
l Lackawanna & Western company asked
| Nichols if ever he had known that any OF the
| miners employed In the Delaware Lackawanna
& Western colIieries had TO bring complaints
to the Board OF Arbitration Nichols. he said,
replied in the negative. whereupon Mr.. Trues-
| dal was alleged to have said:
| And I don't expect there sver viii be any
| complaints"
| Mitchell. after talk over the long distance
telephone with the leaders in the Pittsburg sofc
coal districts made the following announces
ment last evening:
| Il have Just been notified that the last OF tbs
| Pittsburg operators has signed our agreement
About forty thousand miners IN that district.
including the men employed by the Robbins IN
| terests. win go to work tomorrow
where's Mr.. Dolan now?" some one asked
Mitchell smiled and did not reply He said
that the district mined from S5.oOOOOO to.
| 100000 tons Of coal year. It is known as
/ District 1 Of Central Pennsylvania OF the United
/ Mine Workers. He refused 70 talk OF the corn--
| ing meeting with the operators or give any hint
/ as to what the miners would be willing TO accept
| C. W. Post. as the president OF the Citizens
| Industrial Association OF America sent letter
/ to Mr. Baer demanding that there be 10 suspen<
| sion in the mining Of coal. The letter was adj
dressed 10 Mr.. Baer as Chairman OF the Ana
| thracite Operators Committee" at No. 143 LID
/ erty street II was said at the Office OF the m
| dustrial Association In the ST. James Building,
26th street and Broadway. that the -etter had
! been delivered to Mr.. Baer. The letter said thac
.the interference OF the labor trust in this mat
ter and their stoppage OF supply. Is urVVarrartso
| and contrary 10 public policy