The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-03-18
N E AND OPERATORS
CANNOT: GET TOGETHER

Philadelphia, March 15.-The sub
committee Of the anthracite mine work.
ers and operators held another meeting
this afternoon in an endeavor to reach
an agreement to go into effect at the
expiration Of the present wage ar
ployers. The fiat ~refusals Of h OPP
orators to make any concessions
greatly depressed the representatives
OF the miners.
President Lewis was very much pro-
voked today because h operators yes
terday refused to receive him n his
associates as officers OF the mine
workers union and not merely as rep
resentatives Of the coal miners m
ployed in the mines owned by the
former.
The only agreement I will sign with
the operators will be as president of
the union" holly declared Lewis. I'VE
will not be divorced from the organi-
zatlon but will insist upon our rights
as men. We will not qualify one Of the
demands we have made, but insist that
everything we asked for be granted"
In view Of the probable disagreement
OF the conference today It may be
stated positively there will be a con-
Vention Of the three districts OF the
anthracite region in the latter part Of
this month to consider the question OF
continuing the work after the expira-
ton of the present three years agree
ment, March 81.
Mine Workers Demands.
The demands Of the mine workers
drafted in Scranton last October n
ratified by the national convention In
Indianapolis in January, are as fol-
lows:
ated between the representatives of the
miners and the operators of the anthra-
cite region and all disputes arising under
the contract sha be adjusted as provided
for in the said agreement.
,. We demand the complete recognition
In the United Mine Workers Of America
as a party to negotiations in wage con.
tracts, and the United Mine Workers OF
America shall be recognized in our right
to provide any method we may adopt Tor
the collection of revenue for the organi-
cation.
6. That we demand an eight-hour day
with no reduction in ages
4. That all coal shall be mined and paid
for by the ton of 1000 pounds.
3. That we demand ar eight-hour day
uniform scale OF age and prices for all
classes of labor at all collierieS in the an
thracite region, and that all employees paid
ST. 30 or less per day shall receive a 10 per
cent advance and less than 81 per day
shall receive a 5 per cent advance.
6. That the system whereby a contract
miner has more than one job or employs
more than two laborers be abolished.
g lLal LIZ - No AONNAAON ~
issue uniform IA statements designating
the name of the company, the name of the
employe, the colliery where employed, the
amount of wages and the class of work
performed.
s. That the contract shall be made for
a period of one year
1t now looks as If one side or the
other would have to recede from its
position or there will be suspension of
work April 1.
The Reading company made a sig
niicant move today, when 1t decided
that instead of closing the collieries to-
morrow because of the slow demand
for coal, as contemplated earlier in the
week, 1t will continue to operate. 1t is
said h Reading mines will continue
% work uninterruptedly during the re-
mainder Of the month in order to in
?rease the amount of coal on hand in
case OF suspension Of orders, either by
the companies or the union.
The operators today had nothing to
say regarding the situation. 1t Is
known, however, that they do not in
tend to change their attitude.