Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-04-01
operations Will Probably Be Resumed
in Few Days.
TWO DISTRICTS SIGN SCALE
Miners in Indiana Block and Pitts
burg Fields Do Not Stop.
PARTIAL AGREEMENT IN INDIANA
BituminOuS Miners and Operators
Are In session and work VIII
Continue Until scale IL
Finished.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. March Si-Two
hundred and fifty thousand picks dropped
from the hands Of as many bituminous coal
miners OF the United States this evening,
not to be used again until a wage settle
ment has been reached and a scale adopted
between the members Of the United Mine
Workers of America and the coal operators
Of the various fields. Tomorrow morning
$4,000 men win be idle and hundreds of
coal mines of the country will he deserted
The situation however does not indicate a
prolonged strike. An open winter and in
dustrial depression have left large stock
OF coal on hand, and the differences be-
tween miners and operators are very slight
1t is practically agreed that the present
scale will be continued. but some politics,
with the change tonight in the national
officers of the miners organization and
local differences between operators and
miners, have resulted in temporary suspen-
sion of work until a new wage scale is
agreed to either by districts or individual
mines.
Central Competition.
Until two years ago the bitumlnous coal
mining wage scale of the country was
based upon the agreement reached in the
central competitive filed. consisting of mi
nois, Ohio. Indiana and western Pennsyl-
vania and considered as unit. This unit
system was broken two years ago when
President Mitchell signed a scale with
Pittsburg operators who agreed to pay the
scale demanded after operators Of the other
three states had refused and the miners
won their fight in consequences. Operators
signed the scale individually throughout the
country. Since that time the miners have
tried to get back the unit rule, or inter-
state agreement, but operators of western
Pennsylvania Ohio and Illinois. after ncgo-
tiations lasting all the present winter have
refused to meet in Interstate convention
with the miners. AS a last resort Presi-
dent Mitchell called the miners in national
convention and district settlements were
authorized with the present wage scale as
minimum, and failing to agree districts
miners were authorized to n r,pe present
scale with operators indi,( VlaIlI
work Continuously udrana.
In the meantime district lint meetings
are being held in the var ous states. Cen
trail Pennsylvania and the block coal dis
trict of Indiana (Clay county, are the only
two districts that have signed up Indiana
operators and miners in session at Terre
Haute are adjusting their small differences
and have decided to continue at work pend
ing settlement. There will be no strike
in this state. The Illinois district meeting
at Springfield has not reached an agree
ment, but the relations between the op-
position interests are friendly. Western
Pennsylvania has not reached an agree
ment and the mines will close down. throw
ing out of work $4,000 men. Ohio mines will
close also, as no agreement has been
reached. The southwest district, consist
ing of Missouri, Kansas. Oklahoma, Texas
and Arkansas. is holding it's meeting at
Kansas City, and it is said the miners will
be idle for a time. Thirty-five thousand
men are affected. The miners OF the
Kanawha field in West Virginia are hold
ing their joint meeting at Huntington, and
while no agreement has been reached one
is expected The New River, Pocahontas
and Paramount fields are nonunion and are
not affected.
West Virginia and Kentucky miners and
operators will continue operations, it Is be-
lieved pending settlement
viii Call Joint Conference.
President-elect T. l.. Lewis, who is plan
ming TO revive the interstate agreement,
which it is said may have induced some
districts not to sign, said this evening he
would make no move for several days. He
wishes the negotiations now in progress in
various districts TO reach some kind OF
conclusion before he begins to work out
his plans. He is still in the hope OF rein
stating the joint relations between the OPP
orators of Indiana, Ohio, western Pennsyl-
vanla and Illinois, and the Indications are
| that he will call an interstate joint con-
| ference within the next two weeks. He
will not convene the new national executive
board for at least a week. He wAs not
ready today to announce his appointments.
but II became known that the office OF
national ststistician, held by Chris Evans,
will be abolished. and 1t is understood that
Samuel Sexton is to be retired as editor
of the United Mine Workers.
President Mitchell Vice President T. l..
Lewis who is to succeed Mitchell tomoT-
row. and w. b. Wilson, retiring secretary
treasurer. were rendered banquet tonight
| by the members OF the international ex-
ecutive board which today completed ali
the preliminaries for the old officers to
step out of office tonight.
Agreement in Michigan.
BAY CITY, Mich, March 3l.-The joint
convention of Michigan coal operators ana
miners today agreed that the general scale
of wages last year shall continue in effect
until March 81, 1909 The scale was taken
| up clause by clause and all the principal
| points agreed upon. The others will be re-
ferred 10 the joint scale committee for
settlement Pending the PRONUNCIATION Of
the full scale the miners will continue at
work, according to the agreement reached
yesterday.