The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-15
He Can Take No Action or Make Definite Statement Un- til After He Has Consulted With Leaders.
Miners Are Puzzled Over Situa- ton, But it is the General Opinion That a Counter Pro- position Will be Made.

VI ~ From a thorough canvass of the WW situation as it exists tonight there is every indication for believing that the new arbitration plan proposed by the presidents of the coal companies for ending the miners strike will not be accepted in it's present form.
 There is a division of opinion among the strikers, but there is no doubt that a majority feel that the offer to have the President of the United States select an arbitration commission along the lines suggested by the operators Is not fair and that it unduly limits the President in making up the board. The miners, It is safe to say, will abide by the advice of their national president, In whose Judg- ment they have the utmost confidence President Mitchell declines to say how he personally looks upon the proposi- tion, but tonight gave out the following statement:
 q fully appreciate with what anx- iety the people of our country are awaiting the end of the coal strike. The coal operators have not addressed the miners union or It's officers in making their public statement. 1t is therefore impossible for me to state the attitude of the miners at this time. am now. as 1 have always been, deeply soIicitous of the interests of the public and the welfare of the mine workers who have been on strike for A ment defining our position and inten- tions will be issued just as soon as we are in possession of the full mean Ing of the proposition of the opera tors"
 This statement was made by him at o'clock after a silence lasting all day. He had no intention of making it until the correspondents representing newspapers all over the country called on him In a body and informed him that the general public desired to have an answer to the proposition of the operators After giv- ing It he was asked many questions re- garding the attitude of the men and the probability of the acceptance or rejec- tion of the new offer, but he had no re- nlv to make to any of these questions. He denied that he had any knowledge of what the new offer of the operators was until 1t became public property, and also denied that he was in telephonic com munication with President Roosevelt His attention was called to the fact that most of the information from Washington in- dicated that the proposition would be ac- cepted and that the strike was near an end. but he stoutly maintained that neither his officers nor the rank and file had done anything to cause such an inn pression to go out
 Fahy Talks Briefly.
 The district presidents also maintain silence as to their personal opinion of the nronosition excepting that President Fahy gave an inkling as to how he viewed the new turn of affairs In reply to query, he said:
 .rrhe strike cannot be settled without the consent of the men. We are not deal ing in gold bricks of any kind, and you can make any deduction from that you want"
 There will be a conference tomorrow be- tween Mr. Mitchell the three district presidents and Secretary-Treasurer Will son. It 's fully expected that the senti- ment of all the strikers will be known tomorrow, and that action will be taken accordingly. There is talk of a conven- ton being called, but there is noth- ing on which to base this. When MT. Mitchell was asked whether he and the district presidents had power to end the strike he said it is a rule of the organ ization that no settlement can be made bv the officers of the union without the consent of a delegate convention. It is practically certain that Mir. Mitchells advice will be followed in the conference. While he has not said a word as to what he will do, it is freely predicted by those who understand the situation that he will advise a refusal of the proposition.
 Miners Badly Mixed.
 The rank and file of the miners view .ha new proposals in different lights. rrhose who are opposed to accepting the ,av offer look upon the operators latest move as counter proposition to MT Mitchell's offer to arbitrate, made in the temporary White House at Washington. rrhev compare the two offers and pick out what they allege to be many flaws. rrhair greatest objection to it is that the onerators dictate to the President from what class of men he shall select the ar h,trators. and they charge the operators with lack of faith in the President when they do not give him a free hand to DICK the men he wants. Another opJection to t is that the President is limited to four