Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-10-04
WANT TO END STRIKE
President and Advisers Study the
Situation.
Unable to Find Legal Warrant for
Interference by Federal Govern
ment-MOraI SuasiOn to Be Tried
on Strikers and Operators.


Washington, Oct. 1.-The president
on Tuesday took initiative steps to as
certain what, if anything, could be
done by federal authority to settle the
coal strike.
The result was a rather general ex-
preston of opinion by the advisers of
the president who were parties to the
conference, to the effect that the fed
eral laws and constitution did not at
ford means Of federal interference to
end the strike, but another conference
will be held to-day, and the president
will do all he can properly and legally
to bring about a settlement. At
the temporary white house confer
ence was held with three cabinet Off
GERS, Attorney General Knox, Secre-
tary Moody and Postmaster General
Payne. Gov. Crane, of Massachusetts,
also was present. These gentlemen
met with President Roosevelt first, and
after the subject had been considered
for some time, they adjourned to an
other room and conferred together for
an hour. They all returned later in
the day and held another conference
with the president, and the strike stu
alton was discussed further.
Power Is Lacking
The tenor of the whole discussion
was to the effect that there was a
lack of power in the federal admin
istration to take any action at the
present stage of the strike, although
the seriousness of the coal famine
now and the much greater evils soon
to follow were considered at length
ana with wish to discover some
method of ending the industrial dead
lock.
Will Adopt Any Legal Method.
While recognizing the futility of
efforts to end the strike that could
accomplish nothing, it was stated
that the president was anxious that
a settlement should be brought
about at the earliest possible mo-
ment, and that if the attorney gen
cabinet could devise a method by
which the president could proceed,
that he would not hesitate to adopt
it unless meanwhile assurances of a
settlement were received. After the
meeting Gov. Crane left Washington
for Massachusetts.
The conference will be resumed
to-day, at which time Secretary
Root, who spent Tuesday in New
York, will be present. 1t is under
stood that the visit of Secretary
Root to New York was for the pur-
pose of consulting prominent bust
ness men on the subject.
May Send for Managers.
It has been intimated that the presi-
dent may send for the managers of the
coal properties, but this will not be
done until after the conference to-day.
and perhaps not then. Some confidence
is expressed in the report which Sec
rotary Root may bring from New Y ork,
though it could not be learned what
communica ton if any had been re-
ceived from the secretary while he was
in New York. He reached Wa ASKING on
from there about ten o'clock Tuesday
night, out denied himself to newspaper
men and others seeking informa alton.
No official statement was made re-
garding the conference Tuesday,
though an intimation was given that
some statement might follow the con-
ference to-day. AS heretofore stated,
the main fact made apparent Tuesday
was that the president will make every
effort he can exert properly and law
fully to stop the strike and avert a fuel
famine.
Will Try Moral Suasion.