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Show IN COHL MINES; SCALE IS STILL BEING DISCUSSED , INDIANAPOLIS. : March 28. The joint conference of the bituminous coal operators and miners of the central competitive district met today in what was generally understood to be a final effort to reach an agreement on the wage, scale in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and western Pennsylvania, Since1 the adjournment yesterday no move haa been made by either side and the deadlock apparently was as Arm aa at any previous time. There were no Indications that a strike could be averted. O. W. Traer. chairman, announced that the question was on the sub-motion, offered by J..H. Winder, to reaffirm reaf-firm the present wage scale with conditions con-ditions aa they existed when that scale waa adopted, the miners to pay the cost of mining, loading, shooting and timbering. - A. J. Moorehead of Illinois spoke first for the operators.- He said the operators opera-tors would be pleased to pay the miners mi-ners an Increase In wagea, but it waa absolutely Impossible at this time. "You miners," said he, "have the advantage ad-vantage over us. Tou can combine and centralise your voting; power upon a fixed object or. desired action. . But if the operators combine we are threatened threat-ened with .the penitentiary. We could control the ' coal market and pay you higher wares. If we could buy up all the coal mines; but, unfortunately for you and us, we have not the money to do It. "It may be true that in some parts of the country western Pennsylvania, for instance, they may be able to pay an advance; but I do know that In Illinois it Is Impossible." He said miners In the thick vein In Illinois could earn from IS to t0 ' a day. This statement was received with laughter by the miners, which brought a rebuke from the chair. "But," said he, "a man In Illinois Is not able to do the beat he can for himself and family. He has been restricted re-stricted and nrevented from realizing his full earning power, and making from 1126 to $150 a month. The miners In my district are permitted to work only Ave or six hours a day. "We In Illinois believe the time haa come to sever this Interstate agreement agree-ment Our affairs had better be aet tied alone. We had better work single-handed single-handed than be In an Interstate convention. con-vention. The gentlemen from Pennsylvania Pennsyl-vania and Ohio have different market conditions, different coal, almost everything every-thing different from us In Illinois. Their wants are rarely our wants; their troubles are rarely our troubles." John H. Walker, a miners' delegate from Illinois, discussed conditions in that State, arguing that they warrant-ed warrant-ed in advance in wages. ' |