Arizona republican., 1902-10-01

Washington, September 3O-The president today took initiative steps to ascertain what. if anything, could be done by federal authority to settle the coal strike.
 The result was a general expression of opinion by the advisors of the presi- dent who were present, to the effect that the federal laws and constitution did not afford the means of federal in- reference to end the strike, but a con ference will be held tomorrow and the president will do all he can properly and legally to bring about a settle ment
 President Roosevelt is deeply con cerned over the situation The ap- proach of winter with a coal famine ! imminent, and the distress and suffer ing that must ensue unless coal be- comes available, present a situation which he thinks should receive the at tention of the administration if any thing can be done by the government. Many appeals have been made to him and many suggestions have been re- ceived by him. and it was with view 1 to ascertain what power the federal authority could evoke that caused the conference to be held.
 During the conference every phase of the situation was discussed. The gen 1 eral opinion of advisors was that the situation did not present case in which there could be federal interfer- ence by any warrant of law. There has been no interference with federal authority in the mining region, either | by the stoppage of the mails or by re- sistance of the United States court process. It was pointed out that there was no occasion for the use of United States troops. as Governor Stone of Pennsylvania had not called on the government for assistance. nor had he even exhausted the resources of the state by calling out the full strength Of the state militia.
 The question of right to seek the ap- pointment of receivers for the mines in order that they might be operated was discussed but neither in the eX- animation of precedents nor in any ] known law could any legal warrant be ! found for such action, though the dis
 cussion of such lines even went as far as the consideration of how the prop critics could be relinquished and their control surrendered after the object of cupplying coal had been accomplished. assuming that the federal government could interfere through the receiver 5. The tenor of the whole discussion was
 to the effect that there was a lack of DCwer in the federal administration to take any acticn at the present stage or
 the strike. although the seriousness of the coal famine and much greater evils
 soon to follow were considered at length and with a wish to discover some
 method of ending the industrial dead
 lock.
 Governor Cranes presence naturally
 brought into prominence the proceed ings begun in the Massachusetts
 courts to secure the appointment CT re-
 ceivers for the coal properties, but the
 opinion was expressed that the situa-
 tion could not be met successfully by
 this method.
 During the day advices were received that the strike might be settled by the
 operators and miners themselves, and it was suggested that nasty interfer- ence of any kind by the federal govern
 ment might prevent the consummation
 of plans for the strike settlement if
 any such were maturing. While recog-
 nizing the futility of the efforts to end
 the strike that could accomplish noth- ing. it was stated that the president
 was anxious that the end of the strike
 should be brought about at the earliest possible moment, and that if the at torney general or any member of the
 cabinet could devise method by which
 the president could proceed he would not hesitate to adopt it, unless mean