The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-06
Four Cabinet Members and Commits
sioner Wright CIoseted With the
President.
NO DETAILS OF THE MEETING
ALLOWED TO LEAK OUT
Belief Prevails, However, That 1t Was
Decided to Ask the Coal Miners to
Return to Work and Have Congress
and the Pennsylvania Legislature In
Vestigate the Anthracite Situation.

WASf1lNG1ON, u. ", OCI' Oil oil
earnest effort to expedite the adjust
ment of the coal strike problem, anoth
er conference over the situation was
held at the White house today and ad-
journed after three hours of delibera-
ton. No statement was given out as
to the conclusions reached and every
participant refused to discuss the
meeting.
The conference was called for to-
day, although it was Sunday, in view
of the extraordinary Importance to the
people of a speedy solution of the
question. Besides the president there
were present Secretary of War Root,
Secretary of the Navy Moody, Attorney
General Knox, Postmaster General
Payne and Carroll D. Wright, commits
sioner of labor. The last named was
summoned on account of his expert
knowledge of the situation in the
anthracite coal fields.
Most of Them Lawyers.
It was notable that only four of the
members of the cabinet were present.
This, however, was significant only OF
the fact that three of these four were
lawyers and that the issue involved
was one which called for the delibera-
ton of trained legal minds. The
fourth, Postmaster General Payne, had
taken a prominent part in the confer
ences over the coal situation which led
UP to the conference Of operators and
miners representatives on Friday. Be-
sides, he has taken great interest III
matters identified with the present
situation. The fact that Mr.. Payne has
also been one of the closest advisers
for many years in the national councils
of his party likewise is important IN
connection with the personnel of the
conference. 1t began shortly after IL
o'clock this morning.
President Talks Earnestly.
The president, in expressing his
views, talked earnestly and showed
deep feeling. His voice at times could
be heard down stairs. Several times
Secretary Cortelyou was summoned
and directed to prepare certain mat
tiers for the consideration of the pres1-
dent and his advisers. This was taken
to Indicate that some action was about
TO be consummated. Every member of
outsider who was present, were pledg-
ed to the president to secrecy as to
what had occurred. Not since the
Spanish war has there been such
reticence shown at a conference of this
character as was shown today. 1t is
almost impossible to do more than
draw the most general of conclusions
as to the nature of the proceedings
Wy nrPnP6R6 Them.
the known facts are that the presi-
dent has reached the conclusion that
he has nothing to expect save refusal
from a further appeal to coal presidents
and therefore has decided to look for
relief of the situation from the miners
side.
Entitled to Some Return.
He feels that he can hardly expect
them to make the sacrifice of all OF
their contentious without holding out
at least promise Of some return and
the question before him is as to his
ability to do this. He can pledge him
self to appeal to congress to examine
into the justice of the miners COM
plants and remedy them so far as lies
in the power of the legislative branch,
backed by the earnest good will of the
executive. He can also suggest to Gov.
Stone of Pennsylvania, that he cause
the Pennsylvania legislature likewise
to make an inquiry and perhaps hasten
the usual methods by calling an extra
session. But these pledges would be
given only on condition that the men
go at once into the mines and get out
with all speed the coal for which the
people are suffering.
To adopt this course means the con-
tinuance Of the policy of eXerting
moral suasion to end the strike. 1t is
l., fo, he = !, &c,
not found a single one of his consti-
tutional advisers who could suggest
any departure from this policy. No
one could find method sanctioned by
law or constitution which promised re-
lief and involved the use Of duress
against either the operators or the
miners.
Messages Probably Sent Out.
So it is believed that today's confer
ence was called by the president with
the purpose of putting in exact shape
the details of q plan conceived even
before the departure of President
Mitchell last Friday from the mixed
conference. The three hours spent in
consultation today were none too long
to put into form the twin propositions
-one to the miners organization and
the other to Gov. Stone-and the fact
that Secretary Cortelyou was called on
to prepare one or more statements at
the direction of the president is taken
as an indication that messages were
sent out at the end of the conference
today and that the reticence of all of
the parties is eXplainable by their de-
sire to avoid the discourtesy of pub
fishing the nature of these before they
are received by the persons to whom
the are addressed, as we'll as by a wish
to escape the complications furnished
by heated public discussion at this
;, stage.
= That the parties to the conference