The Somerset reporter., 1902-10-09
The Coal Situation.

The coal strike and the Impending
coal famine dwarfs all consideration of
other public affairs at this time. Much
was hoped from the conference at Wash
ington on Friday, last but no favorable
result was reached.
Upon the gathering of the coal barons
and the labor union Representatives,
President Roosevelt read to them the
following appeal;
| wish to call your attention to the
fact that there are three psrties affected
by the situation 10 the anthracite trade.
The operators, the miners and the
general public. | speak neither for the
operators nor the miners, but for the
general public. The questions at issue
which led to the situation affect i'm
mediatelY the parties commemorative
operators and the miners; but the
situation itself vitality affects the pubic.
As long as there seemed to be a reason
able hope that these matters could
be adjusted between the parties ii did
not seem proper to me to intefere in
any way.
II disclaim any right or duty to
intervene in this way upon legal
grounds or upon any official relation
that | bear to the situation, but the
urgency and the terrible nature of the
catastrophe impending over large
portion Of people In shape of winter
fuel famine impels me, after much
anxious thought, to believe that my
duty requires me to use whatever
influence | personally can bring to end
a situation which has become literally
intolerable.
~ wish to emphasize the character
of the situation, and to say that its
gravity is such that | am constrained
urgently that each one of you realize
the heavy burden of responsibility
upon him. We are upon the threshold
of winter, with an already existing coal
famine, the future terrors of which we
can hardly yet appreciate.
1.-THE evil possibilities are so far
reaching, so appalling, that it seems
to me that you are not only justified In
sinking but required to sink for the
time being any tenacity as to your
| respective claims In the matter at issue
between you. In my judgment, the
situation imperatively requires that you
meet upon the common plane of the
necessities of the public. With all the
earnestness there Is In me, | ask that
! there be an imm ediate resumption of
operations In the coal mines In some
such way as will, without days un.
necessary delay, meet the crying needs
of the people.
~ do not invite discussion of your
respective claims and positions. |
| appeal to your patriotism, to the spirit
that sinks personal considerations and
individual sacrifices for the general
good"
President Roosevelt had no sooner
finished reading his appeal than John
Mitchell arose and offered to order the
miners back to the mines and have all
differences between them and the
operators referred to a board of arbi.
tration selected by the President. He
stated that the miners would abide by
any and all decisions by such a board
of arbitrators, even should these de-
cisions be against them on every point
at issue.
At this point the President suggested
that both sides take time to consider the
statement made by him and meet at 3
o'clock In the afternoon. Thereupon
the conference adjourned.
In the afternoon the representatives
of the coal roads each made lengthy
statements, which were arrogant in tone
and they even took upon themselves to
advise the President of his duty In the
premises, and refusing to agree to any
arbitration or to have anything to do
with the Mine Workers Union or to
recognize it In any way. They asked
for Injunction against the minprs' organ
ization and urged calling out the army.