The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-03-05
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NEW YORK. March 5.-The owners
Of the great anthracite deposits In
Pennsylvania met behind carefully
guarded doors here today. On their
action, which will not be made public
until March IA, depends whether it is
to be war or peace in the coal fields.
The magnates are expected to reject
the demands of the United Mine
Workers In toto. AS an alternative,
it semed certain today, they would Of
fer renewal of the agreement which
will expire March 81. This the miners
have said in convention will never be
accepted.
The magnates, 1t was known. are
determined to refuse one wear
agreement instead Of renewing the
present one for three years; all in
'creases OF wages, and recognition of
the union to the extent of having the
paymasters deduct union dues from
the wages OF the men Negotiations
will be continued for some time in the
hope that compromise may be
reached.
1t was planned when the magnates
met today to name a committee to
consider the demands of the union.
The next Joint conference between
the scale committee of the United
Mine Workers and the operators is
scheduled for March A. II the opera
tors refusal, as expected, is coupled
with the alternative of renewal Of
the existing agreement the committee
would be compelled to submit 1t eth
er to referendum vote or to meet
ing of the miners OF the three an
thracite districts.
The HARD Coal Men.
| CHICAGO, March 5.-Another effort
to reach basis Of agreement between
the bituminous coal operators and the
miners will be made at a joint wage
conference to be held at Cleveland,
March 20. It was decided to call the
second meeting of the joint commit
tee at conference between the en-
ployers and the miners here today.
The mine operators were represent
ed at the conference by w. X. Field,
OF Pennsylvania. e. A. Cole, of Ohio,
]. G. Kolsen Of Indiana, and H. N.
Taylor of Illinois.
John P. White, national president
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea, led the miners representatives in
the conference. Other representatives
were the following state presidents:
John II. Walker, Illinois: Francis Fee
han, Pennsylvania; John Moore Ohio;
W. d. Van Horn, Indiana.
The only question taken up at the
conference was the ACCESSIBILITY of an
other meeting of the wage scale com
mittee which adjourned in Indianapolis
about month ago, after having fail
ed to find any ground upon which a
compromise for the demands of oper-
tors And miners could be effected.
All parties to the conference agreed
that another effort should be made to
secure an agreement before the pres
ent contracts expire March 81, accord
ing to a statement by H. X. Taylor,
the Illinois representative of the
operators. I'VE will make a final eff
fort in Cleveland to draw a contract
that will be acceptable to all,' he
said. 81 have no doubt as result of
the conference just closed that the
men will renew their demands for a
20 per cent increase for the 100000
miners. This we cannot meet. IF the
miners insist, believe there will be
la general strike. We are ready to
make every possible concession to
keep business moving. A general
coal strike would be terrible blow to
all industries this year.
President White of the miners said
that every effort would be made to
reach common ground from which a
strike could be averted.