The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-02
Gentlemen Invited co a Confer
ence With the President
Announce Their Intention of
Being Present Friday.
MITCHELL is PLEASED.
Baer Says He Regards 1t as a
Command.
Cabinet Meeting Will Be Aban-
dOned for the Occasion.


Washington. Oct At is expected
that all the men to whom invitations
were sent yesterday VIII be present al
the conference tomorrow. Mr.. Baef an"
Mr. Mitchell have accepted.
This was the only statement that
could be obtained at the White House
today regarding the conference Wnlcli
will be held tomorrow on the coal situ-
alton. Senator Quay of PennsylVanlS
was in conference with the president lot
an hour today, and it is understood that
he came here at the request of Inc presl-
dent to discuss the strike situation. Inc
president and the senator were not IN
terruDted, and two cabinet officers VINO
called did not see the president while the
conference was in progress. Senator
Quay after ne left the president would
not discuss the situation or express an
opinion as to the probable effect OF the
coming conference
During the day Secretary Root, AZ
torney General Knox and Secretary
Shaw were in conference with the Dresi-
dent.
WILL GO IN A BODY.
New York, Oct 2.-The railroad presi-
dents who received President RoOse-
velts invitation to meet him tomorrow
in Washington and discuss the coal
strike situation are to leave the city TINS
afternoon. They will go together
President Fowler, of the New YORK,
Ontario & Western railroad said today
in regard to the coal situation in New
York. that by an arrangement among
themselves the coal companies were
providing the elevated railroad with SUI
ficent coal to run its trains The schools
and hospitals in this city would also
be taken care of he added, and arrange
ments would be perfected in a few days
to supply the poor people in this city
with coal in small quantities at low
prices.
President Cassatt Of the Pennsylvania
railroad WI n vpPpiNa1 a SneCi9l invita-
tion from President Roosevelt to attend
tomOrrow's conference. was a visitor at
J. P. MOrgan's office today.
Il haven't vet decided to accept the
presidents invitation" said Mr.. Cas-
satt. but expect to make up my mind
later in the day"
Mr.. Morgan and his representatives
talked with some of the leading ODer-
ators today. 1t is understood tnat Ger
tain memoranda have been prepared
and will be submitted to the president
at tomOrrow's conference.
REPLIED PROMPTLY.
Washington, Oct. 2.-Rresident Roose-
velts proposition for a gathering here
Friday morning of representatives of
coal companies and coal operators and
the miners met a prompt response from
a number of tie gentlemen to whom
Invitations were sent The president re
ceived replies to his invitations from
President John Mitchell. of the United
Mine Workers: President George F.
Baer. of the Reading railway system
and one or two others. Mr. BaerS re-
ply to the presidents suggestion was
particularly gratifying to Mr. RoOseS
welt a it was believed that in all pro-
bability bis acceDtance will insure IA
VOrable replies from other officials who
were invited. Mr.. Baer has acted as
the spokesman for the operators in the
various statements that have been put
forth from time to time in reply to the
miners representations and it is realiz-
ed that his influence viii be a potent
factor in any conferences that may take
place. The president is taking great in
terest in the coming gathering and ex-
presses the sincere hope that it will re-
suit in steps that will bring about ces-
sations of the strike. President A J.
Cassatt of the Pennsylvania railway is
among those asked to join in Friday
conference. The president has the great
est respect for Mr.. Cassatt's well known
business ability and good judgment and
is anxious that he should give the con-
ference the benefit of his opinions.
At the meeting Friday the line of ap-
proach toward the settlement of the
strike will be an appeal by President
Roosevelt to both sides to come togeth-
er as men and not to allow false pride
or a feeling of obStinacy to stand in the
way of the termination of the great
strike. which is fraught with sucl
threat of misery to thousands of people
1t is stated by one of the president:
advisers that beyond this the Dresiden
pulsion to bring into play against either
side and he must rely upon his per
suasive abilities or his appeals to thei
sense of humanity if anything tangibl,
is to be accomplished.
The president intends to lay befor,
his hearers the situation as it appears
to him, with all the prospective horror.
that win follow a fuel famine and viii
urge them, in the interests of humanity
to open the mines and supply the de
mand for coal The president has takel
this action because he feels it to be hi
duty to do so as the executive head o
a nation threatened with great peril
The president has in q sense taken upol
himself the burdens of an arbitrator il
this great dispute between capital an,
labor, and though the arbitration is no
compulsory and is not even known un
der the name of arbitration in any O
the invitations issued, it is the hope O
the president and his advisers that
will be effective Just how no one ca
say though there is the suggestion of
temporary arrangement which will It'd
over the cold weather.
1t is stated by member of the cab
met that there is no political purpose i
this effort. but the president intends t
exert his influence solely in the interest
Of the people.
In the other attempts it is said. tn
operators felt that politics was the mos
prominent motive. In this connection I'll
story is revived of the settlement of tn
strike in 1900. The operators decIar
that when that Stflke was settled unde
stress of a political exigency the wa
was paved for the present strike The
also say that the strikers have hope
that political influence would again b
exerted in their behalf and the operator
compelled to make further concession
The efforts of Senators Quay and Per
rose OF Pennsylvania and Senator Plai
of New York, and Governor Stone
Pennsylvania, have been pointed out q
a verificatian of the allegations of tt
operators. All this, they have asserte
is due to the settlement which ws
.nadn in 1onn All these Va rin,,s c,,o.