Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-04-07
MINERS WILL
MODIFY DEMANDS
Members of Scale Committee Admit
They Will Make Concessions.
STILL CHANCE TO AVERT STRIKE

N.
eral belief of those who are closely
watching the situation about the an
thracite miners headquarters in this
city that the miners have definitely
decided to modify their demands. and
will present them to the operators.
Some OF the members Of the commit
tee privately admitted before coming
To New York for the present negotia-
lions that the original demands OF the
union were greater than the miners
really expected to get. and that the
leaders could afford To trim them down
and still leave the workers enough to
be satisfied.
II Is believed that If the operators
will meet the men half way on some
OF the demands they have made. such
MS n reconstruction of the Cancellation
board. an eight.hour day and an In
crease in pay for some classes or
labor. the miners would seriously con
slider the proposition of renewing the
strike commission award for not more
than one year. The miners have all
bind themselves to any agreement for
three years.
When the reports that the miners
would modify their demands and other
.'umors to the effect that they would
suggest that the differences between
themselves and their employers be ar
bitrated and that convention of an
thracite miners would be called within
few days were called to the attention
of the members OF the committee. they
referred the inquirers To President
Mitchell who when approached would
shake his head and say There Is
nothing can say at this time"
All the district leaders received re-
ports from the anthracite fields, and
Notwithstanding reports that more
coal was being mined than Tuesday
or Monday they declared the situation
wac entirely satisfactory To them
President Mitchell received the fol.
lowing letter from Governor Penny.
packer. nf Pennsylvania:
"Harrisburg Pa, March 81. 1906.
Dear Sir-The commonwealth OF
Pennsylvania expects that every rea.
eonable effort will be made by the par
ties interested to accommodate the
differences between coal operators and
coal miners and to avert the strike
which is now threatened.
SAMUEL. w. PENNYPACKER.
"To George r. Baer. Reading Terminal,
Philadelphia.
"Johr Mitchell, indianapolis"
President Mitchell made public a
copy Of the letter he sent to Governor
Pennypacker of Pennsylvania, who
had asked the miners and operators to
make every reasonable effort to end
the present labor troubles without re-
sort to strike The letter reads
Dear Sir Replying to your note
of March 81. which was forwarded to
me nj New York. | beg To assure you
that every reasonable effort will be
made by the mine workers 10 secure a
settlement of their differences with the
anthracite operators without recourse
TO strike. JOHN MITCHELL.
"Presidcnt United Mine Workers Of
America"
President Mitchell is devoting al
most as much time to the situation in
the bituminous fields as he Is to the
hard coal regions. He is hourly in re-
ceipt of kilograms from his lieuten-
ants and from coal operators in the
west When asked how matters stood
in the soft coal fields. he said:
Entirely satisfactory TO me. Every
thing Is turning out as expected, and
believe the situation in the.west will
soon be cleared up"
When President Mitchell was in
formed that President Roosevelt had
declined to interfere with the soft
coal troubles. he showed great interest
and inquired II the text of the presi-
dents communication had been made
public He refused to comment on the
presidents action, but he plainly
showed he was much gratifed at the