Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-03-12
Operators Insist Upon Three Year
Renewal Of Present Contract
With The W0rkmen.
WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THE UNION
Miners Desire Increased Pay, One
Year Wage Contract and Eight Hour
Day-Operators Against All Con-
cess:ons-Joint Statement Gives De-
tails CT the Conference.
(By Associated PreSs.)

PHILADELPHIA. PA. March IL
TIL" anthracite coal operators met the
committa, of hard coal miners in the
Reading Terminal building here to-
day and fatty refused to grant the
men any of the demands they laid be
fore them. and at the same time pro
posed 10 the mine workers that the
present agreement which expires
March 81. be renewed for another
term of three years. This decision.
while not unexpected by the mine
workers. as they had long ago learned
that the operators were against max
ing any concessions. came as great
disappointment to the men.
When the afternoon session of the
conference adjourned Thomas l..
Lewis. national president of the Uni
ted Mine Workers of America. and
his colleagues filed out OF President
Baers Office and went straight to their
hctel with a spirit that was not as
buoyant as that with which they en-
tered the conference ROOM
The miners will meet the operators
again at o'clock tomorrow after
noon.
The Formal Announcement.
The formal announcement of the
refusal Of the operators to grant the
demands of the men was contained in
a statement agreed upon by both
sides. 1t is as follows:
"A committee of seven representa-
tives of the anthracite mine workers
and a committee of several represent
atives OF the anthracite operators held
a joint meeting in the Reading Termi-
nal building this afternoon TO discuss
the mine workers demands. These
demands are the same that were draft
ed in Scranton last October.
THE operators declined to accede
to the demands. The chef reason Of
fered for the rejection was that any
increase in the cost Of production
would necessitate an advance in the
price of coal, and that such an ad-
vance was impracticable. The opera
tors said that wages in the anthracite
mining industry were already at a
high level and could not be increased.
Free Discussion Follows.
The announcement of the opera
tors position was followed by a free
discussion of the various demands
each side stating it's views fully in
regard thereto. The operators de-
the eight hour day question and other
questions passed upon by the anthra-
cite strike commission in 1902. They
also declared themselves opposed to
the mine workers proposition for
one year agreement.
No recognition Of Union.
They declined to recognize the
United Mine Workers Of America.
chiefly on the ground that it was con-
trolled L.; bituminOus workers. They
said they met Mr.. Lewis and his COM
mittee as represent atives Of the an
thracite mine workers. and not as
oticers OF the union. The operators
called upon the report Of the strike
committee to support their refusal 10
deal with the United Mine Workers.
AT the end of the discussion the
operators made the definite PROPOSE
ton to renew the present agreement
for term Of three years.
The present agreement made III
New York three years ago. when John
Mitchell led the miners IN the neso-
,iafions. is identical with the award
Of the strike. commission in 100" al
ter the strike Of 1902.
Three years ago the miners made
numerous demands. but all were re-
iected and thew accepted the renewal
If the strike commission award which
is the same proposition again made
Nv the operators today.
Lewis Regulates Statement.
President Lewis was very much ex-
asperated tonight when shown the
statement that had been given out.
he said the ARRANGEMENTS with the op-
orators was that the secretary OF eacn
subcommittee vas to act as press
committee sud prepare a statement
for The public.
secretary George ". Hartiin rep
resented the miners on this committee
and George =. Parker Of New YORK.
acted for the operators.
Mr. Lewis left the meeting before
tho statement vas prepared. When
no was shown a copy tonight he ex-
nressed great surprise that Harffn
sbo,,d ayrec tn such "a ones'dcd
eta,ement- and declared iha' nc Want
Cd an explsnatioa from Hartiin as
20 whether the statement given out
,s the one ssrccd 70.
Gives onsv One Side.
A. fn~ia sddcd@