The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-10
LOWER WAGES
NON : UNION
MEN IN MINES
Continued from Page


Whether the union will undertake to
renew negotiations with the Mine Own
ers' association in an attempt to bring
about some sort of a compromise be-
fore Thursday is something that has not
yet been decided by the executive COM
mittee OF the union
The only difference on the surface be-
tween the two organizations until today
has been over the acceptance of scrip
in lieu of coin or currency for half of
the wages due The union still posi-
lively refuses to permit members to ac-
cept this scrip. Now the matter of
20 per cent reduction in the wage scale
affecting every employee above and be
low ground has to be considered and on
top of this comes the statement of the
mine owners, that it will not deal fur
Their with the local union or any person
connected with the Western Federation
of Miners. Conservative men here not
connected with either the owners or mi
ners' organization. are, however, of the
opinion that a settlement may yet be
effected. and if not that an attempt
will be made TO organize here a new
union to be affiliated with the American
Federation Of Labor with which the
mine owners have already intimated
they will be willing to enter into an
agreement.
The new scale Of wages announced to-
day is based on the wages paid at To-
nopah, where the cost of living is con-
ceded to be 20 per cent cheaper than in
Goldfeld. To cover this point the Mine
Owners association has agreed to eth
er induce the merchants here to lower
their prices or else to open general
stores and boarding houses where prices
will be lower than at present. The Off
GERS of the local miners union say they
place little confidence in the statement
of the Mine Owners association and
that such statements. which they char
acterize as bluffs" have been issued
before and the promises contained in
them not kept.
Fake Reports.
Reports of attempts at intimidation.
threats of violence and even attempts
to commit violence, are being constant
ly heard tonight, but at union head
quarters these are characterized as
fakes and in instances where personal
encounters have occurred the evidence
obtainable is that the disturbances are
caused by irresponsible parties and that
the union officials are endeavoring to
prevent disorder and violence Presi-
dent Charles MacKinnon of the Gold
field Miners union, said tonight that
the executive committee was not hold
ing a regular meeting today and that
it would not do so nor would the union
take any official action regarding the
reduction I'm wages of the miners until
tomorrow night. the time for holding
the regular monthly meeting of the ex-
ecutive committee
President MacKinnon declared that
the union put no reliance on statements
issued by the Mine Owners association
because the confidence of the miners
union had been repeatedly betrayed by
the association, and he would only say
that the reduction would be considered
at the meeting tomorrow night and
some plan of action or inaction decided
upon.
Simply Waiting.
I'VE are playing a waiting game" he
said 1.-THE owners have precipitated a
fight; have induced Governor Sparks TO
ask for troops; have determined to
drive the Western Federation out of