The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-10-31

that the miners likewise accept the
commission. It is a matter Of vital
concern to all our people. and espe-
cially to those in our great cities who
are least well on, that the mining of
coal should be resumed without a days
unnecessary delay.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Hon Theodore Roosevelt, President
Of the United States: I am in receipt
Of your telegram Of October 16. Re
plying thereto I beg to inform you that
your recommendations we're submitted
to the members Of the executive boards
of districts 1, Z, and 9, United Mine
Workers of America, and they have
unanimously agreed to call a delegate
convention, to be held next Monday,
and will recommend to the convention
that all men now on. strike return to
the positions and working. places for
merIy occupied by them and submit
to the commission appointed by you
all questions at issue between the op-
orators and mine workers Of the an
thracite fields In connection with this
subject we are glad to know that the
managers Of the coal companies have
decided to recede from the untenabIe
position which they so P71g occupied
and to accept a mOdife [ position for
the arbitration Of the coal strike, and
to give you full latitude in the seIec-
ton Of a commission. 1t will be re-
membered that we proposed on OctO-
Der to place the whole matter in your
hands and to accept a verdict Of a
tribunal Of your own selection. It will
be also remembered that the company
managers at that time refused to &C
cept the arbitTament Of the president
of the United States and preferred that
Of the local common pleas judges. We
proposed to leave everything to you
without condition, having the utmost
faith in your impartiality and good
judgment.
In their refusal to accept your ar
bitrament the operators sought to hold
you in part accountable for the very
| conditions which you were trying to
| remedy, and to instruct you as TO your
| duties concerning them. Eight days
| later they again appeared before you,
| dropping the common pleas judge and
/ proposing to abide by the verdict Of a
/ tribunal appointed by you, but at
| tempting to prescribe within fixed and
/ narrow limits the character and vOca-
| ton Of the men you were to name
/ To this proposition as the operators
/ made it, we were unalterably opposed.
/ First, because our respect for you as a
man and our ideas as to what is due
/ to the dignity OF your office demanded
that we should not be a party to a re-
/ quest Of you to accept the great re-
/ spOnsibility accompanied by detailed
| and important restrictions as to the
/ manner in which you should meet it;
] second, because careful analysis of
/ their proposition, disclosed to US, as il
/ did to you and the public, that the re-
| stTiCtiOns were too narrow to enable
| you to secure under them a well bal
anced and thoroughly impartial tri-
bunaI.
But now that you have yourself re-
moved these objections by broadening
and Strengthening the commission, we
/ feel confident that our convention viii
declare its Willingness to have al
! questions between the employing com
| panies and the 50 per cent Of their en-
| izatiOn determined by the board OF
eminent and impartial men chosen by
! you. We feel grateful to you, Mr.
/ President, for the patriotic efforts
| which you have made to bring about
! an honorable settlement Of the strike;
| efforts which you continued despite the
| remarkable spirit and conduct which
| you at first found in the company man
! ayers
We were in a position to sympa-
thize with you. inasmuch as We had
| insult and false witness from the same
source. Our gratitude is due to you
and to the American people and the
press who have supported you and Us
in the long struggle which We hope is
now about to close. During all these
/ long months in which our motives
have been impugned and our charac.
tiers malicioUsly assailed, We have re
Trained from saying a word or taking
any action that would tend to render
reconciliation more difficult, but nov
It becomes a duty to defend ourselves
again the ISLANDERS which have beer
heaDed upon Us and TO proclaim thai
we have from the first favored the
method which is now employed C
break the deadlock
IN our prefer Of arbitration or i'm
partial investigation had been accepted
six months ago, instead Of now, there
need have been no strike. We have