The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-13
Gives Out Statement Re- garding Conference With
 the Operators.
Presents Argument for Rec ognition of Union and
 Higher Wages.
Meets With District Officers to Prepare Call for a Con- ventiOn of the Mine Workers and a Report the Conference.

Philadelphia. March 13.-The delega- ton of Anthracite Miners headed by President Thomas L.. Lewis. of the United Mine Workers of America went into session to-day to set the time and place of the Mine Workers convention to be held by the end of this month and to draw a report of the fruitless conference with the coal operators which ended yesterday evening in a complete deadlock. Before the meeting to-day President Lewis issued the fol- lowing statement:
 ''It is to be regretted that the con- ference of the operators and United Mine Workers representatives of the Anthracite Coal region. adjourned with out reaching an understanding that could be made the basis of a wage contract for a fixed period of time.
 'The demands of the Miners were presented in detail and the Miners are firmly of the opinion that they were Justified in asking for an advance in wages for that class of men who earn but $50 per day and less who work in the mines.
 ''The miners are engaged in the most hazardous occupation of any in the country and no person will claim that $1.5o a day is a high standard of wages.
 The miners believe they should have an eight hour work day for many reasons. and one particular reason is that the mines are not required to day.
 'The demand of the miners for the recognition of the Union imposes no hardships on the operators and it is known that the coal road presidents recognize labor unions among other men in their employ. Why discrinf- nate against the miners. The miners insist that if any agreement is to be signed it should be signed by the miners representatives as the official representatives of the Mine Workers. If the miners do not represent an or ganized body of men in signing an agreement what do they represent? Certainly as individuals their sigma lures to a document would have no effect if they did not represent an or ganiZed body of men. We cannot con- ceive of a condition where six men could represent each individual of 160.- 900 mine workers. There are many reasons that can be given in support of the Mine Workers.
 ''The entire question now will go to the representatives of the United Mine Workers in a tri-district convention to be held in the near future. That convention will decide what is to take place. and what the outcome will be on the first of April. no one can with any certainty predict at this time. It will be for the United Mine Workers in the Anthracite coal fields to decide this question and to judge from the sentiment among the men in the Scranton convention last October. any arrangement agreed upon will be be- tween the operators representatives and the representatives of the United Mine Workers of America governing the Anthracite coal region.'
 Considerable friction and factional feeling has been developed among the miners delegates. The old fight be- tween Lewis and Mitchell has its echo in the half-hearted support given the new president by some of the dele gates.
 As an instance of this there are con- ficting stories of what happened dur ing yesterdays session with the opera tors One of the miners sub-commit- tee made the statement last night that Lewis had told the operators that he would lend his influence to have all the miners dropped and the three year agreement accepted if theone demand for recognition of the Union were granted.
 Lewis emphatical1y denied having made such a proposition. T know the man who gave out that statement and I wish you would go to him and tell him for me that he lied" said Lewis to newpapers' representatives.
 But whatever friction there may be among the miners it is expected to be lost sight of in the big issues that con- front the organization through the operators determined stand against all cor rciliation.
 Feeling ran high among the men who gathered to pave the way for the com ing convention of the Mine Workers. The war spirit was plainly in evidence and it is certain that were this body of men empowered to decide the Ques- ton of peace or strike the great ma iority would to-day decide in favor of a determined stand for all their de- mands no matter what the cost The temper of the convention is not ex- pected to be much more conciliatory.
 Some of the more conservative min CTS are advocating the continuance of work without signing an agreement of any kind. As the operators refuse tT recognize the miners as an organiza- tion they can continue to work after April l. merely as employees and await a more favorable time to strike for