The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-17

'S"uS 4sOUeTC .. bacon, one
OF Morgan's partners, Secretary Root,
Secretary Coetelyou, and President
Roosevelt, the following statement,
explaining the position of the mine op
orators in reference to the Pennsyl.
vania coal strike, and stating the con
dlt'ons under which they would agree
to arbitration, which had been pre-
pared by the managers of the diff
terent coal properties, was laid be
fore the President by Mr.. Morgan.
The statement was then given to the
press and the public by Secretary
Cortelyou. ..
THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
Seoetary Cortelyou, by authority
OF those presnt at the White House,
made public the following autho-
rized statement concerning the con.
ference:
Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan came to
Washington with his partner, Mr..
Bacon, at the request of the COM
panies, who desired that as matter
of courtesy their statement should
be shown to the president before it
was made public. Having been
laid before the president by Mr.. Nor.
gan, it is now given to the press.
To the Public:
The managers of the different coal
properties comprising the anthracite
coal fields, wish their position in the
present strike to be understood, and
therefore make the following state
ment of facts:
There are in the anthracite regions
about rs operating companies and
firms and 147,O00 miners and work
men (of which 10000 are under aye)
comprising some 20 nationalities and
dialects.
OF these workmen possibly one
half belong to the United Mine
Workers Union, of which Mr.. John
Mitchell ID president. That organ
ization was originally formed in the
bitnminous coal region, and three
iourths of it's members are miners of
bituminous coal, and bituminous coal
is sold in active competition with
anthracite coal.e The remaining work
men in the anthracite fields either
belong to. no union whatever or do
not belong to the Mine Workers.
Union.
Ihe present strike was declared by
the Nine Workers union on the 10th
day of, May, 1902. Since that time
many workmen not belonging to or
not willing to follow that organiza
tion we're working in and about the
mines. From 1900 to 10000 are
now at work. Many more have
wished to work but have been prevent
ed by a course of violence and intimi-
datlon towards those working, and
toward their families, accompanied
by the destruction Of properties and
the fear of death or bodily harm to
every man who wishes to exercise
his right to work.
A schedule is annexed hereto
showing some of the things done to
create this reign of terror, and every
instance stated can be verified by
reference to the officers of The law
civil and milltary--in the anthracite
region. This violence has continued
and steadily increased notwithstand-
ing repeated disavowals by Mr..
Mitchell, and it is clear be either can.
not or will not prevent it, and that
the rights Of the her workmen can
not be protected under his supre.
macy from mine workers union.
WHY ARBITRATION WAS DECLINED.
The coal companies believe that
the wages paid in the coal regions
are for aud full and all the business
in it's normal condition has been
able to stand if the capital invested
is to have any reasonable return
The profits have been small, severa
OF the companies have become bank
rupt and been reorganized several
times. Several have not paid divi
dends, and the dividends of the
of the others have been small re-
turn for the capital invested. 1t is not
however, the purpose of this state
ment to discuss this question. The