The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-03
Get TOGETHER.
Appeal of President Roosevelt
to the Parties
Who Are Responsible For the
& Closing of Anthracite Mines.
SPEAKS FOR PUBLIC
Doesn't Invite Any Discussion
Of the Question.
Merely Asks That the Trouble
Be Ended and at Once.
The Whole Matter Is Now Solely
aQuestiOn of Coal.
CONFERENCE is SHOT.
Both Parties Leave White House
to Talk 1t Over.
President of the Pennsylvania
Couldn't Attend.
CONFERENCE is SHOT.
Both Parties LeaveWhite House
to Talk 1t Over.
of the Pennsylvania
Couldn't Attend.

Washington, Oct. 2.-The second step
in the presidents efforts to effect a set |
elment between the anthracite coal mag I
mates and the miners was taken today.
At 11:1O o'clock. ten minutes after the
hour fixed for the conference, every per- 1
son who had been invited to partici-
pate with the exception of President
Oliphant of the Delaware & Hudson.
who sent as his personal representative
David Wilcox, vice president and gen
eral counsel of the road, and President
Cassatt of the Pennsylvania road, was
present in the second story front room
of the temporary executive mansion
where the president since his return
from Indianapolis has transacted such
necessary public business as could not
be postponed.
The president during the conference
was seated in a large invalid chair his
left leg extended full length, resting on
a cushion. The president greeted most
cordially each OF his guests as they ap
peared and when all were assembled
he stated to them in a brief preliminary
way his object in calling them together.
The president, fully realizing the inn
portance of the communication he was
TO make, had prepared a carefully
Worded paper setting forth in detail his
position on the pending controversy.
Inc president SAID:
REMARKS OF PRESIDENT ROOSE-
WELT.
IT wish to call your attention to the fact
that there are three parties affected by
the situation in the anthracite trade: The
operators. the miners and the general
public. I speak for neither the operators
nor the miners, but fer the general public.
The questions at issue which led to the
situation affect Immediately the parties
concerned-the operators and the miners;
but the situation itself vitally affects the
public. AS long as there seemed to be
reasonable hope that these matters could
be adjusted between the parties il did not
seem proper for me to intervene in any
way. 1 disclaim any right or duty to in
tervene in this way upon legal grounds or
upon any official relation that I bear to
the situation; but the urgency and the
terrible nature Of the catastrophe impend-
ing over a large portion of our people in
the shapS. of a winter fuel famine impeI
me after much anxious thought to believe
that my duty requires me to use what
ever influence 1 personally can to bring to
an end situation which has become liz
orally intolerable.
Il wish to emphasize the character Of
the situation and to say that its gravity
is such that 1 am constrained 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 future
terrors of which we can hardly yet appre-
ciate- The evil possibilities so far
reaching, so appalling. that it seems to NE
x
but required to sink, for the time being
any tenacity as to your respective claims
in the matter at issue between you. In
my judgment the situation inperatively
requires that you meet upon the common
plane of the necessities of the public.
With all the earnestness that there is in
me, I ask that there be an immediate re-
sumption of operations in the coal mines
in some such way as will, without a dav' 8
unnecessary delay, meet the crying needs
II 90 not irvite a discussion of your re-
r. q inns al nd 7 -
your patriotism, to the spirit that sinks
personal considerations ana makes individ-
ual sacrifices for the general good
LARGE CROWD PRESENT.
Long before the hour fixed for the
conference a large crowd had assembled
outside the White house. The first off
cial caller at the White house was Car
roll D. Wright, commissioner of labor.
He has made an investigation of the
strike situation, and the president de-
sired to obtain from him what he con-
sidered important features of the con
dition between the operators and the
miners.
Secretary Root called and remained
for a short time and about 1890 a. m.
Attorney General Knox went to the
presidents room.
Mr. Mitchell and his party were first
to arrive at the White House, and they
came n few minutes before the time
fixed They rode to Jackson Place on
an avenue car and walked up to the
were
trained on the party as they crossed the
street. They were escorted to a room
or TIE first floor Just after II O'CLOCK
President George F. Baer, of the Read.
ing; E. r. Thomas, of the Erie, and w
B. Truesdale, of the Lackawanna. drove
up in a carriage. They also were sub
jected to several snapshots by ambition.
photographers. They went to a room
on the first floor separate from that cc
cupied by the labor leaders. They 1ver.
soon followed by President E. e Fowler
of the Ontario & Western. John Marlxle
of the firm of c. r. Markle & Co. Goa
operators. and David Wilcox, vice presi
dent of the Delaware & Hudson. repre
senting President OHphant, Of that road
President A. J. Cassatt, Of the Penn
sylvania, who mad been invited. did M
come. He sent a telegram to Presiden
Roosevelt explaining his inability to b
present.
CONFERENCE BEGINS.
At 10 minutes after II o'clock the tvv.
delegations were escorted upstairs tn
labor leaders going first. Attorney Gen
eral Knox and Commissioner Wright re
manned with the president
When the president concluded tb
reading Of his statement he said he al
not expect that either party would b
ready to submit propositions at thi
time, but he asked them to take int
consideration what he had said and t
return at 8 o'clock. He said he hone
that some proposition might be present