The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-04-06
MINERS PROPOSE
 TO ARBITRATE
fcontInued from First Pasel

(ContInued from First PaEe)
 that each company shall collect from each employe such amounts as may be levied by their organization monthly; the amounts thus collected at each colliery to be turned over to an authorized com mittee at the eollery'-a plan which would make of every operator a collect ing agency on behalf of the strike fund of the miners. In their letter of March 9 to the miners committee, the operators said concerning the 'cheek-off' as mat ter of policy we would not make such an agreement as you request, and as a matter of law we are not permitted to make it.
 "On these two subjects also the anthra- cite coal commission of 1902, appointed by President Roosevelt, made the following vigorous declarations:
 The right to remain at work where others have ceased to work. or to engage anew in work which others have aban- doned, is part of the personal liberty of a citizen that can never be surrendered, and every infringement thereof merits, and should receive the stern Announcement of the law
 Want Two Years.
 It should also be observed that Mr. MitcheTs committee abandons the pro- posal for a one-year agreement and sug- gests an arbitration the term of which would expire on April l. 1gOS-a presiden- tial year-thus affording new oppor- tunity to make this great industry the football of politics. The operators had already offered, it will be remembered. to extend the findings of the coal commits sion until April i, 1909.
 The operators at their meeting decided that before they would frame reply to the miners they would first consult all interests in order to get the sentiment of the heads of all the eoal-carrying roads as well as that of the independent operators.
 It was stated at the miners headqtiar- ters that if the operators agree to arbi- trate, q call will be sent out al once for a convention of miners. at which instruc- tions would be adopted if they ratify the arbitra tion plan for the idle miners to return to work immediately.
 District President Nichols of the Lack awanna- Wyoming district received a com plaint from mineworkers of Yatesville to- day to the effect that the constabulary were entering and searching their homes for fire arms Mir. Nichols sent instruc- tons to his organizers in the field to take rnea sures to protect the miners, and to employ counsel If necessary.
 hCHdiQ QCh ft J'''9 -'S'~
 Philadelphia. April 5.--ln the anthracite region the arbitration proposition made by the miners representatives to the operators during the conference In New York today is regarded in varying lights bv the different interests involved, Those of the operators in the region who could be induced to venture an opinion ex- pressed the belief that it will not. be ac- cepted. Various reasons for it's rejection are advanced, among them the disinclina- ton of the operators to leave the solu- ton of technical mining problems to an umpire who might prove incompetent.
 Judge Gray may be all right, but some one else may be all wrong, was the way one operatof expressed it.
 Gray Declines to Talk.
 Judge Gray was asked tonight at his home in Wilmington, Del, if he would be willing to act as umpire in the event of the operators accepting President Mitcheils proposition. He declined to dis cuss the subject, giving as his reason that he had not been officially requested to serve in that capacity.
 The facts that President Alitchelrs proposition was not presented before he ordered a suspension of mining. it Is de- clared, is likely to initiate against it.
 The situation In the coal fields remains unchanged
 Occasional disturbances are reported from various sections. but they are re- sarded as inconsequential. As q result of the attacks made on the breaker of the Fernwood colliery. the Erie company. which owns the land occupied by the mine workers. has ordered them to vacate the property. The miners are said to have shot out nearly every window in the breaker.
 As a result of the suspension of mining operations all of the railroad companies which hardle hard coal have reduced either their forces or the working hours. Four thousand laborers on the Pennsyl-