Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-10-09
THE COAL CONFERENCE
BROUGHT NO RESULT
President Mitchell Opened
With the Usual PROPOSE
( ton of Arbitration.
gBUT THIS THE OPERATORS
WOULD NOT CONSENT TIC
They Asked Protection for Men
Who Want to Work.
Suggested That Federal Troops be Sent to
the Mines-Claim That 1900 Men Who
are Anxious to Work are Being Inter-
fered With by strikers-They Refuse to
Recognize the Miners Union.

4 the mtnes-Claam Thht lI,OuO Men VINO
are Anxious to Work are Being Inter-
n fered With by strikcrs-They Refuse to
Recognize the Miners Union.
Washington, Oct. g. The second step
In President Roosevelt's efforts to effect
a , settlement between the anthracite
GOAL magnates and the miners was
taken today. At lilo O'Clock, 10
minutes after the hour fixed. for the
conference, every person who had been
invited to participate, with the ex-
Seption of President Olyphant of the
Delaware & Hudson, who sent as his
n &lIpersonal representative David Wilcox,
&Asvice-p president and general counsel Of
n Elthe road, and President Cassatt of the
Pennsylvania railroad, was present in
Il the second-story front room of the tenn
~ porary executive mansion, where the
M President since his return from In.
dianapolis has transacted such public
business as could not be postponed.
A3The President during the conference
Nwas seated in large invalid chair, his
AIleft leg extended at full length, resting
Nippon cushion. The President greeted
@most cordially each of his guests as
Nfthey appeared, and when all were
HtRssembled he stated to them in brief
i9ipreliminary way his object in calling
Xsthem together. The President, fully
Nrealizing the Importance of the COM
#munication that he was to make, had
#prepared a carefully worded paper
kisetting forth in detail his position on
E]ths pending controversy. The Presi-
NAdent said. G
M l wish to call your attention to the fact
EHthat three parties are affected by the sitl-
NfK,on in the anthracite trade-the operators,
Wthe miners and the general public. speak
fEfor neither the operators nor the miners,
RHbut for the general public. The questions
Hget issue which led to the situation affect i'm
fAnediately the parties commemorative opera
ktors and the miners, but the situation Itself
afyitaly affects the public.
I'm AS long as there seemed to be reasonable
}hope that these matters could be adjusted
between the parties. IL did not seem proper
ito me to intervene In any way. disclain
Any right or duty to intervene in this way
Eupon legal grounds or upon any official re
~ Nlation that bear to the situation; but thu
f1nrgency and the terrible nature of tht
f,catastrophe impending over a large portion
tIof our people In the shape of a winter fue
Examine impel me after much anxious
kthought that my duty. requires me to us'
Eawhatever influence / personally can !,
bring to an end situation which has be
come literally intolerable.
NJ Iwiah to emphasize the character of th
Hsituation and TO say that Its gravity is sucl
Eithat am constrained urgently to insist tina
each one of you realize the heavy burden o
Responsibility upon him. We are upon tn
EHhreshold of winter with an already existinI
scoal famine, the future terrors of which VI
kcan hardly yet appreciate. The evil posi-
Fbilities are 80 far-reaching, 80 appalling
&that II seems 10 me that you are not onl,
%juHtified in sinking, but required 10 sink
for the time being any tenacity as to you
Irrespective claims in the matter at issue be
&stween you.
MI In my Judgment the situation impera
&iively requires that you meet upon the com
8aqlon plane of the necessities of the public
#abVith all the earnestness there Is In me | as
#gEhat there be an immediate resumption O
d operations in the coal mines in some suo
n way as will without days unnecessary de
lay meet the crying needs of the people.
~ do not invite discussion of your re
syour patriotism, to the spirit that sinks pei
N Esonal considerations and makes indiyidua
kisacriioes for the general good.
Ri Long before the hour fixed for th
Y, Nconference large crowd had assemble
#outside the White House. The frs
Eoffioial caller was Hon. Carroll .
~ Wright, commissioner of labor. II
Hhas made an investigation of the strik
Kiituation, and the President desired t.
n ibtain from him what he oonsidere
II kamportant features of the conditio
H yetween the operators and miners
seoretary Root called and remained fo
Ei;l,S short time, ind about TO- 80 o'oloo
fEniia ttorney General Knox went to th
II Residents room. Mr.. Mitchell an
Eis party arrived few minutes befor
the time fixed for the conference. Ju.
after II O'Clock Presidents George 4
SPsBaer Of the Reading, e. b. Thomas {
kh4the Erie and w. HI. Truesdale of th
H. Lackawanna drove up, and were 500
E.lfollowed by President e. B. Fowler {
helethe Ontario & Western; John Mark
I'D. of the firm of q. B. Markle q Co., col
Eclejoperators, and David Wilcox, vic,
/ Qphlpresident of the Delaware & Hudson
rio2Irepresenting President Olyphant of thi
m,Foad. President A. j. Cassatt of I'll
T.TPennsylvania, who had been inritet
E7adid not come. He sent telegram
#sePresident Roosevelt, explaining his ii
#h{ability to be present.
ne At IL. 10 O'Clock the two delegation
n were escorted upstairs, the labor leade
n IRoing first Attorneys General Knc
1 81 and Commissioner Wright RENAME
Y @Ixwith the President
/, ,E& When the President concluded ii
&Sya-&reading of his statement, he said /
TaseEdid not expect that the party wou
yAh43be ready to submit propositions at tn
N Htime, but he asked that they take I'M
faNconsideration what he had said and
HNFeturn at O'Clock. He said he hopl
/Nnkthat some proposition might be pr
v M&santed at that time whlch would 1urnls
the basis of an adjustment. The co
inference then terminated. 1t had lastt
Hless than Is minutes
II III Washington, Dot. 4.-The coal stril
\ #nsonference in President Roosevelt
IL Hnkok room in the temporary Viii
H PhApuse, yesterday, resulted in tot
VI ed hlure, and the two parties are,
" &orrnige by their manner and word
x ~ Ether apart than ever. The mine
IA HilfHered to put their men back at wo
N III. Immediately, provided the operate
Il M,buld agree to leave the issues
n Resident Roosevelt to decide al
NJ eskreed to abide by his decision or
n n,Ie decision of tribunal to be a
herhinted by him. The operators !
ID Ea1cted this proposition utterly al
"a WeIould consent to nothing that involv
III hy recognition of the Miners Unio
AK hey offered to make concessions, b
i&AW SISTED on leaving each employer fr
WkE Edeal with his own men.
hH Ehe representatives Of the mine
N a simed that the main question W