Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1906 — IN JOINT CONFERENCE [ARTICLE]

IN JOINT CONFERENCE

Scale Committee* of the Bituminous Coal Operators and Miners Get Busy. JOINT CONVENTION FIBST HELD Opposing Parties Submit Antagonistic Propositions Which Pall of Adoption—Baer Replies to Mitchell’s Late Letter. , Indianapolis, March 21. —The second joint conference of the coal operators and miners of the central competitive district has met and adjourned after referring the demands of the miners to the joint scale committee, which began its deliberations this morning at it o’clock. The conference was called to order by President Mitchell, and was organized at once by the election of the following officers: George W. Truer, an operator of Chicago, permanent chairman; Secretary-treasurer Wilson, of the United Mine Workers, permanent secretary; assistant secretaries— Frank S. Brooks, of Columbus, 0., and C. L. Scroggs, of Chicago. First Vote Is a Deadlock. On n otion of Mitchell the rules of the previous joint conference, requiring that the vote of the operators on "all main and principal questions” be cast as a unit, were adopted. This action empowers F. L. Bobbins, retiring chairman of the operators, and Thos. Lewis, vice president of the United Mine Workers, to prevent any action on the wage scale which they do not favor. President Mitchell delivered a brief address, in which lie outlined his views as to the purpose of the extraordinary Joint conference, at the close of which he moved the adoption of the scale of wages demanded by the miners in the joint conference which adjourned Feb. 2. The motion was lost on a strict vote, the operators voting unanimously in the negative, while the miners voted as a unit in favor of its adoption President Mitchell handed to Chairman Traer a copy of the original scale. On request of the operators the scale was read. It has been printed heretofore. Illinois Refrains from Voting. Chairman Traer asked if any one wished to talk, and there was an Impressive silence, during which F. L. Robbins crossed from the operators side of the hall and shook hands with President Mitchell. John H. Winder, of Ohio, the newly-elected chairman of the operators, prefixed the motion for the adoption of a resolution by a brief address in reply to the remarks of Mitchell. Tlie resolution, which provided that the present wage scale with all attending •conditions be adopted for a period of one year beginning April 1, was defeated. Ttie miners voted against the proposition to a man. The operators voted “aye” with the exception of those from Illinois. Referred to the Joint Committee.

Robbins then said: “I think now, if we have gone through with the preliminaries, we may as well get down to business. I move that this matter tie referred to the joint Seale commit tee which will meet tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock, and that the conference adjourn to reconvene at the call of the committee.” Mitchell seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Second Day of Conference. Indianapolis, March 22.—The joint scale committeesdf the Joint conference of the coal operators and miners were in session almost the entire day, but nothing was accomplished toward arriving at an agreement. The committee devoted its sessions to discussion of the Illinois shot-firers' law, whicti the operators of that state allege* unjustly discriminates against them, as It adds an additional expense of from 2 to 10 cents on each ton of mined coal.

The miners’ representatives on the committee refused to make any declaration upon the subject, and asked for a recess that they might caucus. Their caucus was devoted to discussion as to the best means of getting the argument in the joint committee away from the shot-ttrers’ proposition, which the Illinois operators insist is the first thing to be settled. BAER REPLIES TO MITCHELL Tells Him He Does Not Consider the Negotiations Closed. New York. March 21.—There will be a conference between the two committees of seven members each, representing the anthracite coal operators and til miners of the hard coal district This was decided upon-at a meeting in tills city of Hie committee of operators. Later President George F. Baer, of the Philadelphia and Heading- railroad, forwarded a letter to President Mitchell, of the United Mine Workers. notifying him that the operators’ committee is willing to meet the miners’ committee at any date Mitchell may select. President Bner’s letter is in reply to a communication from President Mitch ell in which the leader of the miners expressed disappointment because the operators’ committee had rejected the demands of the miners without .calling their committee into conference before doing so. Mitchell then asked for another conference. In reply Baer says that the operators fully expected to hHve another conference with the miners.

In his letter Baer tells Mitchell that there is no misunderstanding. Then he quotes the minutes of the meeting

- 1 to show that it was perfectly understood that there was to be another Joint conference. Baer says the operators are ready for that conference whenever Mitchell is ready. He says the operators have frankly and fully “answeredyour propositions” and made counter propositions, which have not been answered. He says also: “We sincerely believe that nothing can now be done to improve the situation as it exists, and has for the past three years existed, in the coal regions. The miners are contented. They have been fully employed They have been paid large wages. They have saved money. All the conditions attending the workingman's prosperity are as favorable in the anthracite regions as it is possible to make them?” Statement by Anthracite Men. New York, March 22. —The demands of the anthracite mine workers for n readjustment of wages and conditions in the anthracite fields would, if granted by the operators, mean a veritable revolution in mining conditions, according to a statement issued by the operators' committee of seven. The statement declares it to be a mbs take to assume that an eight-hour day and a 10 per cent, wage increase represents the sum total oi the demands of the miners. “The new and uniform scale,” says the statement, “would place-every man on the same basis Increasing the wages of some men ns much as 150 per cent. The average increase, under the uniform scale, would he nearly 30 per cent.'for outside men. The proposed schedule would mean a vertiable revolution in mining conditions.”