Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-03
Robbins Makes Explanation.

S5,00N,0O0 cash available for strike purposes.
two funds on April 1 will probably place
Robbins Makes Explanation.
At the opening of the conference this
morning F. l.. Robbins of Pittsburg moved
that the present scale be affirmed, with the
same prices and conditions. for the year
beginning April /. Mr. Taylor. an Illinois
operator, moved an amendment. which was
the same proposition that had been pre-
viously offered and rejected. The amend
ment was lost, the operators and miners
voting solidy. L. l.. Robbins then took
the floor. He said he wanted to go on rec
ord, as it seemed the future of the inter
state movement was I'm peril.
Mr.. Robbins reviewed the differences in
the condition Of the miners now and when
the interstate and joint conference move
ment went into effect. You have advanced
wages and shorter hours he said with
out argument and in the face of all fair
ness you yesterday, met and repudiated
fair proposition / want to go on record
as protesting against such methods. Yes
terday, coal sold in Chicago at dollar
ton carrying an so cent freight rate be-
cause the railroads were demanding the
cars and yet you refuse to allow one dis
trict to sign an agreement unless We pro-
pose to deal with our miners cven-handed
we propose to have miners of other
states with conditions entirely different
from ours to dictate as to the settlement
of our affairs In our district. Your propo-
sition adopted yesterday is absurd. \ little
section up in Michigan could refuse set
, Element and tie up the whole country You
have "A conference with the anthracite
operators coming. If l were an anthracite
operator would refuse to deal with you"
Mitchell Talks.
President Mitchell took the floor in reply.
Said he: 1t is kind of Mr., Robbins 20
say that We have presented no argument.
We refuse to allow the operators to have
the final say to whether We have pre-
scented any argument or not. We have
shown that coal is selling at the mines at
from IS cents to 81 cents a ton higher than
it was selling seven months ago. We
showed this by their own circulars We
have shown by their circulars that the
conditions of their own trade Is highly
prosperous. The country is in the highest
degree Of prosperity. Stocks and bonds
are selling higher than ever before And
vet Notwithstanding this situation we arc
asked to continue a lower wage scale than
we had two years ago And Mr.. Robbins
will remember that two years ago, when
We accented a lower wage scale on account
~ an unfortunate situation existing at that
time Ia, promised that the reduction would
no restored at the next conference
Mr. Mitchell reiterated his arguments for
an increase in wages and in closing said:
NV have come to the parting of the
,,:a,s and il seems 20 me the only thing
left to do Is to go home and there try to
overcome the seemingly insurmountablc OBJ
stacles We deeply regret the necessity for
such a step, but we feel that the time mas
come when you can give us an advance in
wages githout damaging your property in
terests TO any considerable extent.
voting On the Plan.
John Walker Of the Illinois miners spoke
briefly and w. ID. Ryan moved the previous
question which was carried, and the motion
of f. l.. Robbins, that the present wage
scale be continued in force, put. Pat
rick Dolan voted yes for the Pcnnsy1-
vania miners and the vote was challenged.
Mr. Dolan arose and said;
Il have authority to cast the vote for the
PENNSYLVANIA miners and until that author
ity is taken away from inc / vote yes"
There were loud cries of no" throw
him out" we'll take the authority away
from him
President Mitchell said:
THE convention from Illinois decided to
refuse the proposition just presented and
votes no"
Mr. Robbins said the miners had the
right to vote by states unless the president
of the miners assumed the position of a die
tator. President Mitchell said he did not
assume such "A position. The miners OF
ganization has endorsed the report Of the
scale committee, which refused to continue
the present wage scale and when the miners
speak as a unit am their spokesman"
Secretary Wilson announced that he
would refuse to announce the vote until it
had been decided how the vote was cast.
A Pittsburg delegate stated that Nj
Dolan did not express the sentiment Of the