The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-10-10
RESOLUTIONS
WERE ADOPTED
Meeting Of the interstate Con-
ference at Detroit.
PEOPLE GETTING WORKED UP
SITUATION DISCUSSED AND
DRASTIC REMEDIES PROPOSED.

n ETRoIT. Mich. Oct. 9.-The lS6 dele
gates. representing eleven states,
who attended the interstate con-
ference on the coal situation here today
adopted resolutions tonight after much
debate urging the president to institute
civil proceedings looking 10 the enforce
ment OF the Interstate commerce act
against the coal companies and criminal
proceedings against their officers pc
titioning the governor OF Pennsylvania
to call a special session of the legislature
of that state to condemn all the coal
carrying railroads and sufficient of the
mines TO supply the demands OF the peO-
pie. Further the resolutions petition the
president 10 call special session of the
house OF representatives and 70 recon-
mend 10 the house the appointment or a
committee with fun power 10 investigate
the cause of the strike and 10 place the
blame therefor.
A supplemental resolution offered by
Judge Frank r. GarVln OF Indianapolis
was also adopted and ordered attached
TO the main resolutions. II urges that
the president at once institute proceed
ings to dissolve the present combination
OF the coal operators" and 10 have
receiver appointed 10 operate the mines.
The supplemental report urges a special
session OF congress if II Is impossible
at present for the president TO take this
action.
Wanted Drastic Remedy.
1t was 3 o'clock when the resolutions
committee reported to the conference.
subcommittee had spent the afternoon
and early evening in considering the
MANY resolutions and plans offered by
different delegates and reported TO the
full resolutions committee at 1880 O'Clock
the resolutions as adopted by the con-
ference. From then until nearly O'Clock
the resolutions were discussed by the tull
committee. The radical element, repre-
scented bv Victor L. Berger of Milwaukee,
wanted more radical resolutions. wanted
them TO declare for censure and operation
of the mines by the government ana
government ownership.
John c. Nelson OF Logansport, md,
urged that the resolutions were not
strong enough. He commended that the
government should send in a force OF
men. headed by some conservative man
like General Leonard Wood. 20 open the
mines Immediately and give the people
coal. Some objection was raised 10 the
resolution favoring condemnation of the
mines by the state of Pennsylvania.
majority of the committee. however
voted In favor of reporting the resolu-
lions as prepared by the subcommittee.
Minority Report.
When the committees report was intro
dueed v l.. Berger of Milwaukee an
nounced that he could not subscribe 10
it.. and offered a minority report as fol-
folws;
Resolved. That pending the restora-
ton OF peace and order the United States
government seize and take possession
of the mines of that district and operate
the same for the public convenience; and,
further. that we request the president OF
the United States 10 Immediately con-
vene in extra session the national con-
gress for the purpose OF enacting such
legislation as will secure the public
ownership and operation of such coal
mines"
This report was supported by several
speeches from the more radical dele
gates.
Former CONGRESSMAN w. c. p. Brock
inridge of Kentucky made the principal
speech in favor OF the majority resolu-
tons. He contended that there was no
possibility of doing what the minority
resolution proposed.
I'VE know" he said. that even If con-
gress were called in extra session the
seize the mines. There can be no ques-
ton as between violence and force and
appealing to law. We are laW-makfng
and law-abiding race"
Minority Voted Down.
When a vote was taken the minority
resolution was overwhelmingly voted
down. Judge Garvin's resolution was
then offered and adopted as supplemental
TO the majority resolution.
Mayor Maybury was made chairman OF
a committee 10 forward the resolutions
to President Roosevelt. The committee
was also made a permanent one to aid
in the accomplishment of what the reso-
lutiOns ask for