The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-16
Agreement Announced by Pres
ident John Mitchell.
Results of Conference Sent Out
from White House.
AWAITS RATIFICATION.
Call for a Convention to Be Is
sued at Once.
Strike Leader VIII Recommend
Acceptance by His Followers.
President Roosevelt Selects Ar
bitratiOn Commission.
AWAITS RATIFICATION

Wfllsesbarre Pa. oct. 16.-At 9:55 a.
m President Mitchell issued the follow
ing statement:
"Wilkesbarre. Pa. Oct. 16.-Appreci-
ating the anxiety and impatience OF the
public and the mine workers Ior some
authoritative statement from TINS ONCE
I issue this bulletin to say that l was
unalterably opposed TO the acceptance
of or acquiescence in the form OF settle
ment proposed by the coal operators be-
cause it restricted the president OF the
United States in making selection from
men who We're to determine the ques-
tions involved in the coal strike. THESE
restrictions having been removed ana
representation given to organized LABOR
as well as to organized capital, am
now prepared to give my personal ap-
prOval to a settlement OF the issues IN
volVed in this strike by the commission
selected by the president and shall
recommend to the executive officers OF
Districts l. and 9. in their meeting
today that an immediate call be issued
for a convention whose authorization IS
necessary to declare the strike at an
end
In the meantime I trust that the peO-
pie of our country will be as patient as
possible as we are moving as rapidly as
the interests of our people will permit
JOHN MITCHELL,
president L. NJ. w. of A.
Mr. Mitchells public statement clear
ed the situation considerably 1t is now
for the miners to act and not one per
Son can be found around headquarters
who is not of the opinion that the dIS-
trict boards will call the convention and
that the convention will decide to send
the men back to work Immediately.
1t is reasonably certain the delegates
will meet in this city. The meeting of
the three district boards began gather
ing at headquarters soon after s O'Clock
and nearly all of them were on the
ground by 10 o'clock. The principal sub
ject was the makeup of the committee.
Few of the board members had an opin-
ion to express for the reasons that they
did not know much about the attitude of
the members. Some Of them believed
the board was favorable to the miners.
The fact that the greatest conflict be
tween capital and labor in the history
Of the world has resulted in arbitration
is looked upon by students of ecOncmica
who are in this region studying cOndi-
tiOns as tremendous step forward il
the economic progress of the country
The miners feel that they have won a
victory, and say that even if the award
of the commission does not give them all
they have asked for. it IS a good thing
for the future of the working man OF
the world.
After Mr. Mitchell issued his state
ment he held a conference with the dis
trict presidents and secretaries at which
plan to lay the arbitration proposition
\ before the full membership Of the thres
boards was discussed. This conference
lasted for some time.
WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCEMENT.
Washington. Oct 16.=The fcllOWine
official bulletin announcing the close oi
the strike was issued at the White
House at 2:20 a. m:
After a conference with Mr. Mitchell
and some further conference with rep
resentatives of the coal operators the
president has appointed the members o1
the commission to inquire into consid-
er and pass upon all objections at issue
between the operators and miners il
the anthracite cial fields:
Brigadier General John NJ. Wilson, U
S. A. retired, late chief of engineers u
S. A, Washington, d. c.. as an Officer
of the engineer corps of either the mill
tary or naval service of the United
States.
E. w Parker. Washington, d. c., a:
an expert mining engineer. Mr.. Parker
is chief statistician of the coal division
of the United States geological survey
and editor of the Engineering and Min
ing Journal of New York.
George Gray, Wilmington. Dell as {
Judge of United States court.
"E. E. Clark, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
grand chief of the Order of Railroad
Conductors, as a sociologist. the presi
dent assuming that for the purposes O.
such a commission the term sociologis
means a man who has thought ans
studied deeply on social questions anC
has practically applied his knowledge.
Thomas h. Watkins, Scranton, Pa, al
man practically acquainted with tn
mining and selling of coal
Bishop John l. Spalding. of Peoria
Ill The president has added BishoI
Spalding's name to the commission.
Carroll D. Wright has been appoint
ed recorder Of the commission" ."
MITCHELL'S HOME COMING.
Wilkesbarre. Pa, Oct 16-Presiden
Mitchell arrived here from Washington
af as this morning q at at n
station by National Secretary Wilson
The Associated Press bulletins Of tn
outcome of the Washington conferenc
that the strike was settled were read t
him while he was surrounded by
small army OF newspaper men, He We
Immediately congratulated and in re
ply for a statement he said:
your congratulations should be with
held until we see who the six represen
-tatiVeS on the commission are. l under
stood before 7 left Washington tina
there would be a sixth man and that h
would represent labor. The whole mat
ter will be placed before the joint meet
ing of the three executive boards of tn
anthracite region at their meeting at 1
o'clock this morning I will wait up t
see the full statement issued by Mr.. Cor
telyou''
In reply to the question whether h
would comply with the presidents re
quest that coal mining be resumed i'm
mediately he said he would make
more definite answer when he kneS
more about the matter. Only the news
paper correspondents were at the head
quarters when the news was first re
ceiVed- about twenty-five minutes befor
Mr. Mitchell arrived. The news that
common ground agreement has bee
reached is sure to be received with grea
rejoicing throughout the entire region.
After his interview with the reporter
in the hotel lobby Mr.. Mitchell went t