Gloomy Outlook At This Mines

Massillon, April 1).- President Michael Kateht'ord, of tho ühio Minera' association, says the outlook is so gloomy that iD is impossible to predict. froru one day's end to another just what is going to happen. "The Ohio operators," Ratchford says, "are diposed to deal fairly with the miners and wül pay iuy price within reason, whelher it is (50 cents or inore, if they can secure such conditions as wül enable them to compete for business. For years it was the rule to pay 13 cents more in western Pennsylvania than in Ohio, and this continued until 18fc7, when because oí the introducción of natural gas iintl for other reasons the differential was reduced to 9 cents. "Now these same operators in Pennsylvania propose co pay (30 cents, whicli is the present scale rate in Ohio. As a matter of course, if this last-named r:ite is agreed to, the Ohio operators will propose to pay 51, and if we Ohio miners accept 51 cents PennsylVMUia will want to drop Co the saine. Thus this conflict over amtïereauitl offers no proiuise oí asettleraeur. buc results in the grinding down oí n% i of the mlners, while the eonsuru.-. is i uu.villing to pay any price that wii enabie the miuer ta live respecttibly. "Then it wè maku another reducción iu Ohio local disputes will be precïpitatod and loc'outs will have to be ad j usted. Take Massillon district for iusbau where the miners complaiii bicterly of the present rate. How rnueh more would they üomplain oí a reduction of 9 cents. The oificere ot' the Ohio miners will soon be obhged to meet the operators and determine upon a scale. The last will be a diiHcult one under exiting