Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-10-11
ANOTHER PLAN FAILS
The Presidents Plea to Miners to
End the Strike.
He Promises Inv stigatfon of Their
Grievances-Prexid Mitchell
Is Said to Have d cIined ito
Emit ertain Proposal.

Washington, Oct. s.-The following
statement was made public at the
white house Tuesday afternoon:
ION Monday, October 6, Hon. Carroll
D. Wright, commissioner of labor,
went to Philadelphia and gave to Mr..
John Mitchell the following from the
PRESIDENT:
"'If Mr.. Mitchell will secure the i'm
mediate return to work of the miners
in the anthracite regions the president
will at once appoint a commission to
Investigate thoroughly into all the
matters at issue between the oper-
ators and miners, and will do all within
his power to obtain a settlement of
those questions in accordance with the
report of the commission -
'Mr. Mitchell has taken this matter
! under consideration, but the president
has not yet been advised of any deci-
sion"
Conference at White House.
The president was in consultation
Tuesday for almost two hours with
members of the ca binet relative to the
coal strike situation. He also talked
over the situation with DR.. Albert
Shaw and DR.. Lyman Abbott. About
1880 o'clock Frank P. Sargent, COM
missioner general of immigra ton, and
for many years chief of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen, arrived
at the white house from his trip to
Philadelphia, where he went as the
emissary of the president to convey
to President Mitchell, of the United
Mine Workers association, the propo-
sition of President Roosevelt that the
miners resume work. Mr.. Sargent had
not succeeded in seeing Mr.. Mitchell.
The president, however, had heard
from Commissioner of Labor Wright.
who saw Mr.. Mitchell on the same err
rand Monday night in Philadelphia,
and the latter's report was that Mr..
Mitchell desired time to consider the
proposition and lay it before his asso-
ciates. After a conference of about an
hour between the president, Attorney
General Knox, Postmaster General
Payne, Mr.. Sargent and Gen. James S.
Clarkson, it was decided to give out the
above statement. This was prepared
and issued by Secretary Cortelyou
shortly before two o'clock
Against Acceptance.
Wilkesbarre Pa. Oct. S.-The two
principal features of the anthracite
coal strike which claimed public atten-
ton in the coal fields are: Will the
miners yield to the desire of the presi-
dent of the United States for them
to return to work and investigate aft
erwards, and will the mine operators
be able to carry out their promise to
; produce enough coal to relieve the sit
uation if given the protection of the
full military power of the state. After
a most careful inquiry among the dis
trict officers (not including the dis
trict presidents, who were in Buffalo)
and the rank and file of mine workers,
it was found that sentiment is strongly
against accepting the presidents prop
osition in its present form.
The presidents message to Mr..
Mitchell became known here Tuesday
afternoon, and it was earnestly dis
cussed by the striking miners and citi-
zens generally. 1t is positively known
to those who are close to the officers
of the union that President Mitchell
and his district presidents have all
along been opposed to the men return
ing to work without some concessions,
but whether they are still so inclined,
with the president appealing to them,
cannot be officially stated. It is rea-
sonably certain, however, that they
still are opposed to such action.
| How the Miners Feel.
| An officer of the union now in the city,
who does not care to be quoted in the
absence of President Mitchell. for fear
that it might be construed as being
| Official said: ''The anthracite mine
workers of Pennsylvania appreciate
the efforts being made by President