The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-02

to Correct It.
Today the mine strike commissioners
will arrive here and take up the work
they left off ten days ago when re-
cess was taken for the purpose of CIV
| ing the parties to the controversy OPP
portunity TO effect an amicable settle-
ment of "nearly all, if not ALL the
matters in dispute.
Bishop Spalding Is expected to ar
rive this morning. He Will continue
to be a guest of Bishop Hoban during
the progress of the hearings. Judge
Gray. Colonel Wright and General
Wilson will probably come in the early
evening. Commissioners Clark. Par
ker and Watkins are in the city Mr
| Clarks wife has come on from Cedar
Rapids to visit him.
The commissioners will have con-
ference at Hotel Jermyn tonight to
hear from Messrs. Clark, Parker and
Watkins, the SUBJ committee appoint
ed to remain here to represent the
| commission as conciliators in the
peace negotiations.
Resume Hearings Tomorrow.
The hearings are scheduled to be re-
sumed at 10 o'clock tomorrow morn
| ing in the superior court room. NO
definite details as to the programme
to be followed have come to the sur
face, but it is certain that the parties
in interest will renew the work in
| hand with an expectation of no fur
ther halts for possible settlement "out
of court" and q determination to
thoroughly thresh out every question
involved in the controversy.
The breaking off of the peace nego-
tiations seems to give general salts
faction to the public if the newspapers
can be taken to be reflectors of public
views.
'It is best for all that the presidents
strike commission proceed as it start
ed and complete the work for which
it was created. There We're many
thoughtful citizens who preferred to
have the whole subject thoroughly
considered by the tribunal acting un-
der the presidents appointment. 1t
was a mistake from the public point
of view to attempt to settle the strike
out of court The commission should
proceed with it's inquiry. The COM
| lllSSlOll eSlSlS lut llit pun poSS VI sSt-
tling the whole matter"
The above is a composite expression
of editorials of leading papers of the
large cities. At first there We're some
papers expressing regret at the fall
ure of the negotiations but such eS-
pressions are no longer heard. Every
body, it seems, is quite pleased now
that peace negotiations We're broken
| off
The Possible Exception.
If there is a single exception to this
rule, as there is said to be to every
rule. that exception is probably the
miners representatives. Had the hear
ings ended with the adjournment ten
days ago, the miners would be in n
most favorable light before the public.
Their story of the case as told by Presi-
dent Mitchell would stand without
refutation, or with only such refuta-
ton as came from the declaratory
questions" of the coal companies
counsel in their cross-eXamination. and
together with this advantage they
would obtain in all likelihood, in the
matter of concessions, as much as the
commission will allow them.
But, be that as it may, the recess did
no harm and possibly will result in
much good to the miners. The commis-
sion can not we'll give them less than
the operators offered in the tentative
proposition for amicable settlement.
The miners know they are going to get
something. This relieves them from
concern on the score of their possibly
being mon suited" The operators have
admitted liability. Now the only con-
cern of the miners is how much better
will they fare at the hands of the COM
missioners than if the peace proposition
had not been withdrawn.
While it Is very generally conceded
the coal companies made false move
in making or acquiescing in the propo-
sition for a settlement "out of court"
| there is no one of their own number
heard saying it was not the part of
wisdom for them to coincide with the
views of the Independent operators as
expressed in the statement read at
Tuesdays conference in New York.
What It Would Mean.
To settle with the miners 'out OF
court" through President Mitchell OF
the United Mine Workers. would have
been to recognize the United Mine
Workers union as directly and effectu-
ally as If they dealt with Mr.. Mitchell
in his official capacity instead of the
capacity in which he would ostensibly
be acting representative of the miners.
Recognition of the union is the one
thing above all others the operators
want to avoid. They can possibly avoid
1t, or at all events avert it for a time,
by having the commission decide be-
tween them and their employees. How
recognition-and something more than
indirect recognition-could be averted
II settlement was effected through
Presidents Baer, Truesdale, Olyphant,
Fowler, ct al, on the one side, and
Presidents Mitchell. Nichols, Duffy,
Fahy ct al. on the other side has not
as yet been explained.
What the commission will have To