Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-10-09
HAD QUIET CONFERENCE
The President and Government OH
ciaIs Meet and Discuss the
Miners Strike.
RESULT OF THE MEETING KEPT SECRET.
Was Called By the President to Put In
Shape Details of q Plan He Has For
muIated to Settle the Strike of the
Anthracite Men.

Was Called BY the President to Put In
Shape Details of q Plan He Has For
muIated to Settle the Strike of the
Anthracite Mon.
Washington, Oct. Gin an earnest
effort to expedite the adjustment of
the coal strike problem, another con-
ference over the situation was held at
the White House, Sunday, and ad.
journed after three hours of delibera.
tons. No statement was given out as
to the conclusions reached, and every
participant absolutely refused to dis
cuss what mad taken place. The con
ference was called, although it was
Sunday, in view of the extraordinary
Importance to the American people
of a speedy solution of the coal ques-
ton. Besides the president, there
were present at the conference Sec
rotary of War Root, Secretary of the
Navy Moody, Attorney-General Knox,
Postmaster-General Payne and Car
roll d. Wright, United States commits
sioner of labor. The last-named was
summoned to attend the conference
on account of his expert knowledge
fields, and because of his personal in
vestigation of the conditions there
which he made some months ago at
the instance Of the president.
President Talked Earnestly.
The conference began shortly after
ten o'clock Sunday morning, the time
fixed by the president. The president,
in expressing his views at the outset
of the conference, talked earnestly
and showed a deep feeling. His voice
at times could be heard down stairs.
Several times during the conference
Secretary Cortelyou was summoned
into the room and directed to pre-
pare certain matters for the consid-
ers.jon of the president and of his adj
~visers. This was taken to indicate
that some action of one nature Or an
other was about to be consummated.
When the conference adjourned, a
few minutes before one o'clock, all
those who had joined it declined to
talk. Every member of the cabinet
and Mr.. Wright, the only outsider
who vas present, was pledged to t e
president to absolute secrecy as to
what had occurred within the confer
ence room.
All Parties Very Reticent.
The utmost efforts were made to
guard against publicity; even the
presidential summons to the confer
ence had been made in a very quiet
and carefully guarded way.
The known facts are that the presi-
dent has reached the conclusion that
he has nothing to expect except re-
fusal from a further appeal to the
coal operators, and therefore has de-
cided to look for relief lrom the stu
alton to the miners side. He feels
that he hardly can expect them to
make the sacrifice of all of their con-
tentions without holding out at least
a promise of some return, and the
question before him is as to his abili-
ty to do this. He can pledge himself
to appeal to congress to examine into
the Justice of the miners complaints
and remedy them so far as lies in the
power of the legislative branch,
backed by the earnest good will OF
the executive. Also he can suggest to
Gov. Stone of Pennsylvania that he
cause the Pennsylvania Legislature
likewise to make an inquiry, perhaps
fastening the usual methods by call.
ing an extra session. But these
pledges would be given only on con.
dition that the men 60 at once into
the mines and get out with all speed
the Goa for which the people are suf'
fering.
No Constitutional Remedy.
To adopt this course means the con
tinuance of the policy of exertine
moral suasion to end the strike. i
is certain that thus far the president
has not found a single one of his con
stitutional advisers who could sug
gest any departure from this policy;
no one could find a method sanctioned
by law or constitution which prom
Used relief and involved the use o.
duress against either the operators o.
the miners.
So it is believed that this confer
ence was called by the president will
the purpose of putting in exact shap'
the details of a plan conceived in it
rough outlines even before the de
parture of President Mitchell last Fri
day from the mixed conference. TIL
fact that Secretary Cortelyou wa
called on to prepare one or NOR
statements at the direction of tn
president is taken as an indication
that messages were sent out at tn
end of the conference, and the re
ticence of all parties is e%xplainabl
perhaps by their desire to avoid tn
discourtesy Of publishing the natur
of these before they are received b,
the persons TO whom they are ad
dressed.
A Double