Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-01
DEADLOCK OVER COAL SCALE
President Mitchell Of Miners Union
Delivers an Ultimatum,
NO AGREEMENT WITHOUT AN INCREASE
Operators Reply that an Increase
VIII Not he lGranted-Miners'
Convention Meets This
Afternoon.

INDIANAPOLIS Jan. Sl.-Todsy brought
a deadlock between the coal operators and
miners of both the Central competitive and
Southwest districts John Mitchell, presi-
dent of the miners. delivered his ultmatum
to the joint scale committee of the Central
district declaring that there must be an
increase in wages or there will be no agree
ment F. L. Robbins OF Pittsburg. speaking
for the operators, declared that the ope-
rators stood positively and detcrminedly
against any advance whd;eycr. The ope-
rators of, the Southwest district united with
the operators of the Central district in
caucus and both agreed TO stand by the
position taken by Mr., Robbins.
The operators at the late afternoon ses-
sion OF the Joint scale committee Of the
Central district presented their demand,
which was that the present scale stand.
The committee then took an adjournment
till o'clock tomorrow morning. 1mme-
distely following the adjournment of the
committee a call was issued for the re-
assembling OF the convention of the United
Mine Workers of america in TomIlnson
hall at 2 O'Clock tomorrow afternoon.
Run-of-Mine Basis Granted.
The operators in theft ultimatum in ad-
dition to demanding the present wage scale
agreed to grant the run of mine basis in
Illinois, Danville being the basing point
and the price for pick mining 81 cents a ton,
this to carry all the necessary expense of
shot firing and tirhbering
The operators make the claim that al
though the run of mine basis exists in
Illinois under the present agreement, their
willingness to continue it lie great con-
cosson. The miners make the claim on
the other hand that the qualification that
this shall carry all necessary expense of
shot firing and timbering is antagonstic
to an Illinois statute now in force which
requires the employment of professional
shot hrers in the mines
The general impression is tonight that
the meeting of the joint scale committee
tomorrow morning will result in the sign
ing of a formal agreement which report
will be made to a session of the joint con-
ference to be called before noon and the
report of disagreement will then be re-
ferred to the session of the miners con-
vention to be held at O'Clock. Officials
Of the mine workers are quoted as being
opposed to an adjournment of the joint con-
ference without a final settlement one way
or the other.
Both sides stand Pat.
John Mitchell. president Of the United
Mine Workers of America addressing the
joint scale committee of the Central com
petitive district today, said
There must be an Increase in wages or
there will be no agreement
In delivering his ultimatum today to the
operators President Mitchell did not men
ton any percentageo of increase. 1t is gen.
orally recognized that his statement is
backed by the almost Unanimous sentiment
of the miners delegates and the minimum
! increase that would be accepted without a
struggle win be SIS per cent, which was
/ the amount of ,thes deerease In wages two
years ago!l 3s'. Il yTsi - 2 80.
.Preeident Mitchell fals6 made a declaration
to the Joint SCALE icpYg3ittee from the, south
western Observation-Disclosures in reply 10 J.. c.
I Tarsney, an operator who had said that or
account of the. exist ting wage. scale he had
been compelled to stop operations entirely
on one o. Ais propofties, and ii there was
an increase in wages the miners might as
we'll wipe his. property off the earth. as lac
! could not afford to operate 1t.
Mr. Mitchell declared that so far as his
! influence extended with the Miners union
and so long as he could prevent It, the
standard of conditions enjoyed by the
miners at present would never be lowered
The operators decided in their caucus tc
stand pat F.. l.. Robbins of Pttsburg
leader Of the operators said:
~ stand positively and determinedly
| against any advance whatever. There is
nothing to warrant IT,"
With this declaration and an assurance
by the operators of the southwest district
that they would stand by the operators
of the central competitive district the eau.
Gus adjourned.
! 1--WE will not grant mill ton advance
directly or indirectly" said an operator
| after the meeting.