The San Francisco call., 1906-04-11
NEW PROPOSAL
BY OPERATORS.
Suggest That the Old Strike
Commission Decide the
Question as to Wages
MINERS PLAN REJECTED
Coal Barons Submit Scheme
and Employees Will Study
It Before Giving Reply


NEW YORK, April 10.-The anthracite
operators at their conference with the
mine workers here today declined the
proposition to have the conciliation board
arbitrate all grievances submitted by the
wage-workers, and made a counter pro-
posaf that the commission appointed by
President Roosevelt in 1902 be requested
to decide whether any changes in condi-
tions in the hard coal region have oc-
Cured which require that the award OF
the commission should be modified. The
mine owners limited the inquiry to two
grieyances-wages and method for the
adjustment of complaints-and stated that
any agre ement entered into must continue
for at least three years. The miners have
taken the proposal under consideration
and may give the operators an answer on
Thursday, when another conference be-
tween the subcommittee of the parties
will be held. In the meantime the miners
committee of thirty-six will hold sessions
and agree on reply, and the operators
will remain idle awaiting developments.
In connection with today's conference
George f. Baer. chairman of the mine
owners subcommittee, made public a let
ter sent to the committee by the inde-
pendent operators, in which they gave
their views and expressed their firm con-
viction that any agreement to arbitrate
with the United Mine Workers will be an
unjustifiable surrender to anarchy and
mob violence
The letter came as a great surprise to
the miners and did not tend to bring the
contending parties closer together.
Notwithstanding the fact that both par
ties to the controversy are now committed
to arbitration, they are still far apart,
but confidence is expressed on all sides
that a peaceful settlement will be brought
about The old tribunal will be accepted
by President Mitchell if he can induce the
coal companies to widen the scope of the
submission to be made. .
After the proposal of the operators had
been read President Mitchell asked
whether under the plan the anthracite
operators would have the privilege of ask
ing the commission to reduce present
wages, and he was informed by one of
the coal presidents that they had. In re-
ply to another que stion he was told that
if the operators plan is accepted the first
offer of the coal companies to renew and
continue for three years the award of the
strike commission would collapse.
The members of the commission are:
Judge George Gray, United States
Circuit Court, Wilmington. Del; Car
roll d. Wright, former United States
dent of Clark College. Worcester,
Mass; Brigadier General John NJ.
Wilson, retired, U. Sc Washington
D. c.; Bishop John Il. Spaldipg5
Peoria, ILL.,. Edgar E.. Clark, Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, grand chief of the Or
der of Railway Conductors; Thomas
H. Watkins, Scranton Pa. formerly
an anthracite coal operator but now a
large producer of soft coal in Central
Ia X RI
pert statistician, Washington.
If the strike commission is called to
settle the dispute it is not probable
that Bishop Spalding will be able to
serve as he is said to have just
passed through a serious illness.
President Mitchell did not know that
the Independent operators had sent a
communication to the presidents of the
coaI-carrying railroads. opposing ar
bitration. He first learned of it after
returning to his headquarters at the
Ashland House. but would not COM
ment on it at this time.
WASHINGTON, April 10.-General
orders have gone out to naval COM
manders in charge of warships direct
ing the observance of the strictest pos
sible economy in the use of coal, on
account of a deficiency in the coal ap-
preparation for the navy.
PHILADELPHIA, April 10.-The
Pennsylvania Railroad officials issued
orders today placing the 10000 mainte-
nance of way employees between this
city and Pittsburg on full time They
have been working but twenty-five hours
a week since April 2. The reason
given for the return to the old hours is
that there is little danger of a general
coal strike. 1t is said that the output
of the bituminous mines now amounts
to about 80 per cent of the normal