The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-03-13
CONFERENCE OF MINERS AND
OF ORATORS FAILED TO Ac-
coMPLiSH PURPOSE.
NO ARGUMENT REACHED
Anthracite Magnates Refuse to Rec
onnize Union and Still contend
For Continuance of the
Present Agreement.

conference between the SuD-conHit'
Itees of the anthracite mine workers
and operators to arrange new
agreement To 80 into effect at the eS-
ipiration of the present working
arrangement ended late this after
noon without result.
While prospects are not as BRIGHT
IS they were for PEACEFUL settle.
ment, there Is still hope that radical
| action by either side will be avoided.
The executive board will tomorrow
issue a call for convention Of the
miners Of three anthracite distrirts
to he held for tie purpose Of consid-
ering plans for further action, and
then will await another conference
ith the operators before March 81.
The counter proposition of mining
companies to renew the present
agreement for another term OF three
wears will be. laid before the conven-
tion by the executive boards of the
workmen. National President Lewis
said after todays meeting the sug-
Gestion for another conference came
from the operators. There was but
one session of the sub-come 1ittee to-
day.
Following the meeting the fol w
ing agreed joint statement WAS 81 on
out.
The Joint meeting Of the mine
workers committee and the oper-
ators's committee came to an end
this afternoon without an agreement
being reached Mr.. Lewis made an
other clear statement Of the mine
workers position He reviewed the
various demands, giving special EN-
phasis to tho question of recognition.
He maintained that he and his com
nsittee represented the organized
mine workers and that II net recog-
nlzed ns representatives of the organi
-zation they had no standing and
,ould not venture TO sign "A contract
which would bind anybody. He said
tho committee was speaking strictly
in the interest of the anthracite DIS.
trcts and were not attempting TO
subordinate the anthracite to the
bituminious interests.
The operators repeated their in
tention to deal with the committee
as representatives of the anthracite
nine workers and not az officers of
the. union. They renewed their offer
to continue the present agreement
for term of three years, and this
was thir final proposition. Lewis re-
quested that 1t be put I'm writing and
the operators answered that II could
be considered as an exact duplicate
of the one made in 1906. They called
attention to a number of the pages
of the minutes of the meeting in 1906
upon which the proposition appeared.
1T was understood that another
conference would be held after Lewis
aud his committee presented the
operators position to the convention
Of mine workers"
During the discussion Lewis says
several operators again referred to
the statement made in the confer
snce yesterday that some of the co1i
compares had been considering the
advisability OF asking all companies
to agree upon a ten per cent reduc-
tion in wages because Of the indus
trial conditions instead of thinking
about an increase.
Lewis further says II was not
made as a suggestion nor as threat.
but was mentioned. the operators told
hlsh as showing how some of the
companies felt in regard TO the pres
cnt mining conditions. Lewis told
them. he said. that the niue workers
would not think of considering such
a proposition if it we're ever made.
The miners tonight hal nothing to
say as TO the probable action Of the
tridistrict convention
The miners leader. before todavs
conference stated positively that the
miners representatives would not
sign an agreement unless it eX'
rlicltely provides for the recognition
of the United Mine Workers OF
America. II also. ~ said. must be
signeI by them as officers Of the
union and not as representatives ot
the anthracite mine workers
II the miners support him in his
attitude Il looks as II there would
he no agreement as the operators
since 1900 have hecn unalterably op-
pcsed to recognition Of the miners
Organization. There is a possibility
Of the men continuing to work wi-h
out an agreement and striking a
various coilieries As grievances cont
up II they are moi adirsted by the
supcrintcndents Of these mines Tbs.
| It Is pointed out. would be a return
tn the chaotic conditions that pre-
vailed prior 10 the strike Of 1892.
when there were strikes every day
in All sections Of the anthracite re-
gtoFs making the amount Of coal pro