The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-03-26
OPERATORS WANT
WORK SUSPENDED
CLASH COMES EARLY IN THE
JOINT CONFERENCE.
woRKMEN OPPOSE SHUTDOWN.
Ask That Mines be .>ept in Operation
When Resolution is Present
ed the Operators Re-
fuse 1t.
Special to Daily Herald.


Special to Daily Herald
Des Moines, March 25.- Efforts Of
the miners to prevent a suspension
of work at the coal mines of Iowa
April 1, presented yesterday in the
form Of a resolution to the joint con
ference of miners and operators were
turned down by the operators.
Seemingly insisting that shut
down on April is necessary. the
operators endeavored yesterday to
have the miners agree to furnish men
to take care of the mine properties
during the time of the suspension OF
operations. When this request was
made of the miners, the resolution
which they had adopted at the morn
ing session of their annual conven
tion was introduced to the joint con
ference by President John P. White
of the Iowa mine workers.
This resolution pointed out the fact
that the mines need not be shut down
April l, even though the conference
had not succeeded by that date In
completing a new agreement to sue
ceed the one which expires March 81
The miners in their resolution sig
nified their willingness to continue
work at the mines after April /, pend
ing negotiations of wage scale, or
condition that the scale and terms
finally agreed upon by both parties
apply from April 1. The operators
emphatically declined the resolution
insisting that complete shutdown
of the mines is necessary during the
period of negotiations.
This is the first time in the history
of the state that the operators have
been placed in the light of bringing
strike or suspension of labor
Their attitude on the question has
been forced by a number OF circum
stances which they consider vital.
The operators have in reality de
sired a suspension of work for tn,
reason that they are threatened b.
lower prices for their product on ths
one hand, and they expect to gram
concessions to the mine workers
thereby increasing the cost of pro
duction on the other. These proba
bilities are inimical to the interests
of the operator and he is seeking tc
prevent conditions that threaten un
der existing circumstances. The op
orator takes the position that he
must have better conditions to grant
better terms to the miners.
The coal market is affected by large
buyers and these interests are en-
deavorig to force down the prices IN
Iowa and in other producing fields
The railways are large factor II
this effort to depress the market
They want their fuel at lower cos
and have brought pressure to bear tC
obtain their ends. With the presen
rate of production they would be ir
fair way to win their point in tht
Iowa fields. A suspension OF pro
duction will have tendency to sus
tain the present rates in the oper
market. A shortage will be created
which the railways will be powerles'
to control after the present stored
stock is consumed and the large con
sumers will be up to the problem o
getting their fuel in distant fields a
increased freight rates. The fac
that there will be suspension o
production will so influence thu
public demand for fuel that the stored
stocks of coal will have no infuenc'
in forcing down the market rates
The dealers are going to take wha
they can get, and when consumer
who are short of supply necessar.
to operate their plants and business
rush to the market to protect them
selves, they are going to create de
mand for the goods that will raise tn,
price of coal instead of lowering 1t.
The price of coal Is now undoubted
ly as low as 1t will ever be with th'
existing conditions Of mining and th'
prices governing operation. II th'
operators insist upon a suspension
and they are now holding the truml
hand, the fact may be depended upoi
that the cost of fuel in the Iowa felt
will be increased under the new wag'
agreement to be made this spring.
The coal miners in convention tc
day listened to reports OF their Off
GERS. This afternoon they Will car
vass the vote cast for their new Off
GERS and 1t will be announced befor
adjournment No steps toward al
agreement with the operators hav
as yet been taken and the mines viii
close April 1st.