The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-10-08
PRESIDENT SEEKS TO
END The COAL STRIKE.
Conference Held Tuesday But No
Law Found For Federal
Interference.

Washington, Sept. 30.-The presi-
dent took initiative steps to ascertain
what, if anything, could be done by
federal authorities to settle the coal
strike. The result was rather gen
eral expression of opinion by the ad-
visers of the president to the effect
that the federal law or the constitu-
ton did not afford means of federal
interference to end the strike, but an
other conference will be- held tomor-
row and the president viii do all he
can properly and legally to bring about
settlement.
At the temporary White House a
conference was held with three cabinet
officers, Attorney General Knox. Secre-
tary Moody and Postmaster General
Payne. Gov. Crane Of Massachusetts
was also present. These gentlemen
met with President Roosevelt first and
after the subject had been considered
for some time they adjourned to an
other room and conferred together for
an hour. They all returned later in
the day and held another conference
with the president and the strike situa-
ton was discussed further.
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 presents a situation
which he thinks should receive the at
tentiop Of the administration if there
is anything that can be done by the
government. Many appeals have been
made to him and many suggestions
have been received by him and it was
with view to ascertaining 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
general opinion of the advisers of the
president was that the situation did
not present case in which there could
be federal interference by any war.
rant of law. There has been no inter
ference with federal authority in the
mining region, either by stoppage Of
the mails or resistance of United
States court process. It was pointed
out that there was no occasion for the
use Of federal troops, as Gov. 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 the right to seek appoints
ment OF receivers for the mines IN or
der that they might be operated was
discussed, but neither in the consti-
tuition nor in any known law could any
legal warrant be found for such action,
though the discussion on such lines
went so far as the consideration of
how the properties could be relinquish-
ed and control surrendered after the
object OF supplying coal had been ac-
complished, assuming the federal
government could intervene through
receivers.
The tenor of the whole discussion was
to the effect that there was lack of
power in the federal alsadministration to
take any action at the present stage
of the strike, although the seriousness
of the coal famine now and the much
greater evils soon to follow were con-
sidered at length and with wish to
discover some method of ending the
industrial deadlock.
Gov. Cranes presence naturally.
brought into prominence the proceed
ings begun in the Massachusetts,
courts to secure the appointment of
receivers for the coal pr rerties, but
the opinion was expressed that the
situation could not be met successfully
with this method.