The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-10-10

and the miner. but the situation ~
self vitality s6ects the public A.
long a. there seemed To be . reason-
able hope that these matters could b
adjusted between the parties. IL di1
not seem proper for me 70 intervene
In any way ! disclaim any right 90
duty 20 intervene in this way upoo
legal ground or upon any ofhcial re-
lation that bear TO the situation;
but the urgency ard the terrible ma
ture OF the catastrophe impending
over large portion of our people
in the shape of . winter fuel famine
impel me. after much anxious thought
to believe that my duty requires me
TO use whatever influence I personally
can TO bring 10 IN end . situation
which has become literally intoler-
able. i wish 10 emphasize the charac-
ter OF the situation. and 10 say that
its gravity is such that l am con-
strained urgently TO insist 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 fu-
yet appreciate The evil possibilities
are so farreaching. SO appalling. that
il seems TO me that you are not only
justified in sinking, but required 10
sink for the time being. any teracity
as to your respective claims IL the
matter at issue betwe IN you. In ny
judgment the situation imPerativesy
requires that you meet upor the COM
mon plane of the necessities of the
public With all the earnesfness
there is in me. ask that there be AZ
immediate resumption of operations
in the coal mines in some such wa.
as will. without q days unnecessary
delay. meet the crying needs of the
people. i do not invite discussion o.
your respective claims and position
1 appeal to your patriotism. TO the
spirit that sinks personal considera-
tions and makes individual sacrifices
for the general good
Almost Immediately after the pres
ident had closed. Mr.. Mitchell arose.
and on behalf of the miners offered 70
I submit the differences to arbitration
The operators looked surprised. but
before any reply could be made Pres
ident Roosevelt said he desired that
both parties take the matter under
consideration and meet him again at
| three o'clock. The first session of the
conference had lasted less than fsf'
teen minutes.
The Afternoon Session
A. ,.,r e.. .s~.~ro.s. ~~o.aaIsr~-
began. President Baer. of the Read
ing. opened them with statement
setting forth the views Of those he
represented He was followed by
President Mitchell Of the Mine. $
union. Then Mr. Thomas. Of the Erie.
| followed. and vas succeeded by
Mr. ohm Markle. an independent mine
operator, and Messrs- Truesdale. VIII
cox and Fowler, Of the Lackawanna.
Delaware & Hudson and Ontario 4
Western railroads, respectively
At the conclusion Of the statements
there was considerable general and
what might perhaps Be regarded =
informal conversation The president
called attention TO the part of the
statement made by Mr.. Baer IN which
\ the latter said that the operators
were willing to submit grievances 60
the courts Of common pleas in Penn
sylvania- The president asked Mr.
Mitchell If he. not as president of the
union, but IS an individual. would
agree to that. Mr.. Mitchell promptly
replied that he would not
The operators made il plain that
they would listen to no proposition
! whatever emanating from Mr. Mitch
Ell.
Operators Talked Freely.
1t was five minutes of fve O'Clock
when the conference ended The OPP
orators came down stairs and held a
brief consultation and then left in
their carriages for their train. where
they met = number Of newspaper men
to whom they furnished copies Of the
statements they had made TO ~
prea5denf-
StipulatiDg that they should mot b
quoted. they talked quite freely OF
| the conference Several Of them de-
I clared that the interfercnce of the
president had resulted in retarding
rather than forwarding the settle
ment. They asserted that no prog
ress had been made and said they
would return TO continue the contest
They declared that the situation was
most serious as 20 the coal supply,
hut said that the coal would be fur
nished to the people. and that il given
protection they could get men To
mine coal at least seventy per cent Of
their capacity. They declared there
would be no compromise and that the
strike would continue until the mi
ners succumb.
OPINION IN ENGLAND.
Newspapers Applaud Preadent's Ef.
ferts. b9a Fa1D9rs q No sugpg1se.