The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-03-18
START WAGE FIGHT
Operators Refuse Demands
of Anthracite Miners.
THEY IGNORE THE UNION
First Days Conference In Philadel-
phla Shows Mine Owners Deter
mined Not to Grant Requests Of EN-.
ployes-strike May Be Result.

Philadelphia, Mar. 12.-The anthra.
cite coal operators met the committee
of hard coal miners in the Reading
Terminal building yesterday and fiat
ly refused to grant the men any of
the demands they laid before them
and at the same time proposed to the
mine workers that the present agree
ment. which will expire March 81. be
renewed for another term of three
years ,
This decision was not unexpected
by the mine workers as they had long
ago learned that the operators were
against making any concessions.
The miners met the operators again at
two o'clock this afternoon.
While the prospects after today's
meeting were not as bright as they
were for peaceful settlement. there
is still hope that radical action by
either side will be avoided. The execu-
tive boards today issued a call for a
convention of the miners of the three
anthracite districts to be held in one
OF the mining towns to consider plans
for further action and then will fol
low another conference with the oper-
ators before March 81.
II was understood that another
conference would be held after Mr.
Lewis and his committee presented
the operators proposition TO the con-
yention of mine workers.
Formal Statement Issued.
The formal announcement made for
the benefit of the public of the refusal
of the operators to grant the demands
of the men was contained in a state.
ment agreed upon by both sides. II
follows:
"A committee of seven representa-.
tives of anthracite mine workers and
committee of seven representatives
Of the anthracite operators held
Joint meeting in the Reading Terminal
building this afternoon to discuss the
mine workers demands These de.
mands are the same that we're drafted
In Scranton last October
The operators declined to accede
10 the demands. The chief 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
high level and could not be increased.
The announcement of the opera
tors announcement was followed by a
free discussion of the various de-
mands, each side stating its views
fully in regard thereto. The op
orators declared their unwillingnesS
70 reopen the eight-hour day question
and other questions passed upon by
the anthracite strike commission OF
1902. They also declared themselves
opposed to the mine workers propo-
sition for one-year agreement.
Decline to Recognize Union.
They decline to recognize the
United Mine Workers of America,
chiefly on the ground that 1t was con.
trolled by bituminous workers. They
said they met Mr.. Lewis and his COM
mittee as representatives of the an
NAlhNANS AhiAV "OA hNib ilOA 90 VI
fioers Of the union. The operators
called upon the report OF the strike
commission TO support their refusal
to deal with The United Mine Workers.
AT the end of the discussion the
operators made the definite PROPOSE
ton 10 renew the present agreement
for term of three years"
The present agreement made in
New York three years ago, when John
Mitchell led the miners in the negotia-
tions, is identical with the award OF
the strike commission made in 1908,
after the strike OF 1902. Three years
ago the miners made numerous de-
mands but all were rejected and they
accepted the renewal Of the strike
commission award, which is the same
proposition again made by the opera
tors yesterday.
SAYS ROCKEFELLER BACKS DRYs.