The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-01
DROP THEIR PICKS
Coal Miners to the Number of
100000 Are Idle
AS the Result of Failure to
Agree With Operators.
WILL NOT LAST LONG.
There Appear to Be No Serious
Differences to Settle.
1t Is Merely q Question of Sign
ing Wage Contracts.

mlnouS coal miners numbering 25O,000
are idle today on account of failure
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea and the coal operators to agree
upon wage scale to go into effect
today.
District meetings are being held in
an effort to reach an agreement in the
different states and it is believed the
strike will be of short duration.
Central Pennsylvania and Indiana
mines are in operation as an agree
ment has been reached in the former
district and in Indiana miners and
operators have agreed to continue
work pending a settlement which is
being negotiated by joint meetings at
Terre Haute
All the miners of western Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio. the Transmississippi and
outlying districts have quit work.
Until two years ago the bituminous
based upon the agreement reached in
the central competitive field consist
ing of Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and west
ern Pennsylvania and considered as a
unit. This unit was broken two years
ago when President Mitchell signed a
scale with Pittsburg operators who
agreed to pay the scale demanded af-
ter operators of the other three states
had refused and the miners won their
fight in consequence. Operators signed
country. Since that time the miners
have tried to get back the unit rule or
interstate agreement but operators OF
western Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illf-
past winter, have refused to meet in
interstate convention with the miners.
AS last resort President Mitchell
called the miners in national conven-
ton and district settlements were
authorized with the present wage
ivrir nd nj M n
by districts miners were authorized to
sign the present scale with operators
individually. Vice President Lewis
who succeeds President Mitchell to-
day is endeavoring to revive the IN
terstate unit rule. In the meantime
district joint meetings are being held
in the various states. central Penn
sylvania and the block coal district OF
| Indiana ,(Clay county, are the only
| two districts that have signed. Indiana
| operators and miners in session at
Terre Haute are adjusting their small
differences and have decided to con-
tinue at work pending settlement.
There will be no strike in this state.
The Illinois district meeting at Spring
| field has not reached an agreement
h,,t the relations between the oppoSl-
tion are friendly. Western Pennsyi-
vania has not reached an agreement
and the mines will close down, throw
| ing out of work 10000 men,
The southwest district consisting OF
Missouri. Kansas, Oklahoma and
Texas and Arkansas is holding It's
meeting at Kansas City and 1t Is SAID
the miners will be idle for time.
Thirty five thousand men are anecteo.
The miners of the Kanawha held IN
West virginia are holding their JOINT
meeting al Huntington. No agreement
has been reached, but one is expecteo.
The new river PocahontaS ana falr-
mount fields are nonunion and are not
affected.
west Virginia and Kentucky miners
and operators will continue operations
If is believed pending a settlement
Illinois Miners Celebrate.
| Springfield, ILL.,, April AL the
| coal mines in Illinois are closed TO-
day. while the miners are celebrating
the anniversary of the eight hour day
low Going into effect. The mines will
remain closed until an agreement pc
| tween the operators and miners is
reached, the operators haVlns slas'
1 night voted to suspend operations uh-
til the scale is signed
| At the international headquarters
% tha United Mine Workers of Amer
| lea today, Vice President Thomas L.
| lewis Of Ohio, succeeded John Mltch-
ell of Spring Valley, H., as presloent
| of the organization; w. d. Ryan, OF
| illinois. succeeded Mr.. Lewis as vice
president. and J. P. White OF Iowa,
sncceeded Congressman w. B. Wilson,
of the central Pennsylvania district,
| as secretary-treasurer.
Don't Call 1t Strike.
! Kansas City, Mo-, April lit was
believed here this morning that the
$4,000 coal miners in Missouri, Kan
| sas Oklahoma and Arkansas, VINO are
| enjoying holiday today, would re
| turn to work tomorrow pending a set
| tlement of the differences with the
officials of the Southwestern States
| Coal Operators association.
| ssThere has been no strike In the
southwest vet" said George Colville.
president of the Miners association,
| here this morning. 1t is up TO the
opeators to say whether there VIII pe
a strike. Nothing definite looking to
tbe settlement of the present difficult
| ties has been done yet. but the situa-
| tion looks brighter, and believe some
| plan for conference between the
operators and the miners will be
| reached, today"
| The operators and miners conven-
| tions met separately this morning,
| each to take steps looking to an early
| Conference. James Elliott, president
| of the operators association, met with
| the other officials of that association.
| The operators would not discuss their
| plans in advance but said that in all
probability a committee from the as
sociation would be appointed to meet a
l like committee from the mine work
ers' convention, when the subject of a
conference to settle upon terms of a
| new contract would be taken up and
the date of the conference. Before the
miners met this morning 1t was stated
they would appoint a conference COM
mittee.
| A scale committee was appointed by
the committee to meet with the oper-
ators as soon as the latter were ready.
After the transaction of some minor
1 routine business, an adjournment was
taken until tomorrow in order that the
miners might enjoy their holiday.
Charles s. Keith. REPRESENTING thA