Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-23

Indianapolis. March 23.-The joint
scale committee of the coal operators
and miners competitive and south
western districts went into executive
sessions today in final effort 10 break
the deadlock that has existed since the
conference on the scale began.
Expected No Agreement.
Before the committees went into ses-
sion the leaders of both sides express
ed the opinion no agreement would be
reached in committee and predicted a
meeting of the joint conference would
be called some time during the day to
take up the wage fight in open conyen-
tion.
The morning session of the central
district was devoted TO listening to
quaTrelS among the operators Sew
eral attacks were made on F. l.. Rob
bins of Pittsburg by operators of the
other three states on account of his
attitude for peace. Robbins stated he
did not propose to be dictated To by
the operators of other states.
willing to Pay Price.
The Pittsburg Coal company was
willing To pay the advance price asked
for by the miners, and he was willing
to pay this advance in his mines in .
Pennsylvania. Ohio. and Illinois. He |
said the country would not endure Il |
strike after such a fair proposition |
had been made. He intended to pay
the advance asked and run his mines
and those of the Pittsburg Coal COM
pany. no matter what other operators
decided 10 do. He said Mitchell would
not dare to refuse to allow his miners
to work where their demands were met
Mitchell Was Shy.
The effort was made to get a specific
statement from Mitchell as to whether
the Ryan resolution was considered byl
him to be in force. bur he declined to
make any statement. \ recess was
taken until 2.
Looked Like Disagreement.
indianapolis. Ind, March % After
being in session the greater part of the
day yesterday the joint scale commit
tee of the conferences of operators and
miners of the central and southwest
eTn districts adjourned. Everything
pointed to a disagreement
President Winders of the operators
admitted that a disagreement of the
joint scale committee is probable
Vice President Lewis of the United
Mine Workers said there will be dis
agreement unless the mine operators
recede from their opinions.
Moved for 1903 Scale. {
President Mitchell, as soon as the s
afternoon session had begun, moved t
l.. l. l.,
for the year. In making the motion. I
the miners receded from their former 5
demands of the run of mines, a differ t
entail of per cent an hour, and the
prohibition of the employment of boys
under 1G years of age. After brief
argument this proposition was defeat '
ed, the operators and miners voting
by states. All operators voted against
it and the miners unanimously for it. {
III. n. Taylor of the Illinois opera p
tors moved that the wage scale of 1903 '
be accepted for two years, providingl {
the miners agree to pay the expense o
caused by the shot firers' law in Iii v
nois. (:
This, it has been figured by the op- s
orators, amounts TO 2 cents per ton on a
mined coal and would amount to $500
per year 1t was defeated by a unani- Z
nous vote of operators ard miners.
Makes Another Propagation.
President Perry of the Illinois mill
ers. moved that the 1903 scale. which is r
an advance of 5.55 per cent over the
present scale in the central district
and relatively in the southwest dis
rict, be accepted for one year This
was defeated. the miners voting for it
md the operators against it.
F. l.. Robbins of the western Penn I.
iylvania operators moved for the adop- e
ion of the 1903 scale for two years, "
Iut it was defeated. The western u
pennsylvania operators and miners r
YOted for it