Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1905-1906, 1906-03-24
=. L. ROBBINS BREAKS DOWN oP-
POSITION IN HIS OWN
DISTRICT.
OTHER STATES STAND FIRM
Some Possibility That They May Be
Compelled by Robbins's Course
to Yield.

Indianapolis, March 23.-(SpeciaD
Though the threat Of great suspen-
sion of operations still hangs over the
bituminous coal fields, there was some
Improvement in the outlook when F.
L. Robbins, this morning, broke the
back of the stand pat" attitude of the
independent operators in his own
the western Pennsylvania district.
After long, bitter wrangle he ad-
dressed George A. Magoon, the leader
of the Pittsburg independents fight,
asking him IL the independent operat-
ors of that district would operate their
mines IL Robbins signed contract
with the miners and operated his.
Magoon Is reported as declaring
that IL Robbins operated his mines
the independents in the Pittsburg dis
trict would also have to operate.
Having forced the opposition of his
own district to the wall, Robbins now
has the task of forcing the Indiana,
Ohio and Illinois operators to recede
from their stand. There seems to be
no doubt now that John Mitchell will
advise tn miners to sign contract to
operate the Western Pennsylvania
mines.
Whether or not the Indiana, Ohio
and Illinois operators will be able to
maintain their stand against making
any concessions remains to be seen.
The breaak in the ranks OF the
'standpat" forces in the Pittsburg
district prevented final break be-
tween the miners and operators in
scale committee. After two and a
half hours Of wrangling the scale
committee adjourned until this after
noon.
Robbins became the center of at
tacks directed at him by the Indiana,
Ohio and Illinois operators. They
were bitterly personal Robbins had
not yet been able to deliver all he had
planned with President Mitchell, but
there was chance this afternoon that
Notwithstanding the positive declara-
tions of the Indiana, Ohio and Illinois
operators against making any con-
cessions, Robbins might be able to
batter down the oppositions and bring
about some kind of an agreement
This hope was notS very bright ow-
ing to the determination of the West
ern operators to depose Robbins. They
openly asserted that he had been a
dictator, self-imposed on them, and
that he had compromised their stand
in this great fight and had personally
agreed to deliver the operators over
to the miners without consulting
them.
1t was settled by the adjournment
this morning for another session this
afternoon that a joint conference of
the operators and miners would not
be held before tomorrow morning, IL
then. @ ..
There was every indication this aft
ernoon that the fight would be over by
tomorrow night.
The operators this morning made an
effort to get from President Mitchell
positive statement on the status OF
the Ryan resolution, but in this they
failed.
1t is stated positively that President
Roosevelt has not shown his hand in
the presen crisis, though there is no
doubt that Wall-Street financial and
Industrial interests took hand in the
matter last night and this morning.
1t was noticeable this afternoon that
several of the operators who had made
sleeping car reservations for tonight
cancelled them and were preparing to
stay at least another day.