The National tribune., 1902-10-09
TIE COAL STRIKE.

| render it certain that matters must come
TO focus within 4, few days. The Presi-
dents attemptsto bring about an agree
ment between the contending forces by
an appeal to their patriotism was an ah-
solute fiasco Mr. Roosevelt wired an
identical invitation, to the Presidents OF
all the anthracite railroads and to JONI.
Mitchell. Representing the United Mine
| Workers of America.
| The conferees met in the temporary
White House in Jackson Square at IL
O'Clock, Oct. 3, and were Ilceived by the
President. seated in an invalid-chair. Those
present besides Mr.. Roosevelt We're:
George +. Baer, President of the Reading
| Railroad: +. B. Thomas. President of the
Erie Railroad: w. IL. Truesdale. Presi-
dent of the Lackawanna Railroad: Il. Il.
| Fowler. President of the Ontario and
| Western Railroad; Daniel Wilcox, Vice
| President of the Delaware and Hudson.
representing President Olyphant: John
Markle, coal operator: John Mitchell.
President of the United Mine Workers;
| T. d. Nichols, President of Miners dis
trict No. 1; Thomas Duffy, President of
Miners district No. Z; John Fahey. Presi-
dent of Miners district No. o; p. G. Knox.
| Attorney General of the United States;
George B. Cortelyou, Secretary to the
| President; Carroll D. Wright, Commission
er Of Labor
Mr.. Roosevelt read a carefully prepared
and able statement, disclaiming on his
part any right or duty to intervene on legal
grounds, but setting forth the fact that
ba of fhn TTp;t Stofo cuf
fering from the coal famine, and that he
regarded it as his duty to use his per-
sonal influence; ending his appeal with;
81 do not invite a discussion Of your re-
spective claims and position. l appeal to
your patriotism, to the spirit that sinks
personal considerations and makes indivi-
dual sacrifices for the general good"
With the permission of the President,
the coal operators and the representatives
of the miners retired to consider his ap-
peal, the former going to their bunch of
private cars to consult among themselves
and with New York. while the latter re-
turned to their hotel.
At 3 o'clock all again met in the tempor-
airy White House and read statements de-
fining their respective positions. From
the first it was evident that there was no
hope of agreement. President Baer, of
the Reading, led off with a warmly-word-
ed polemic against the Miners Union, and
an appeal for the use of Federal troops in
Pennsylvania to maintain order. Incl
dentally he remarked:
Thousands Of other workmen are de-
tered from working by the intimidation,
~ nlo TOD h1 ha
United Mine Workers, over whom John
Mitchell, whYp You invited to meet you'
is chief" ~
The only hint of compromise was 4
proposition that the miners should return
to work and submit their grievances to
the Judges Of the Courts of Common
Pleas in theT respective districts. Mr..
Mitchell. of fhe United Mine Workers of
America, followed. with more temperate
address, setting forth proposition to re-
fer the whole matter at dispute to board
President. President Thomas, Of the Erie,
stated that He and his road could settle
the matter if left to themselves, and limited
that he resented the Presidents interfer-
ence Mr.. John Markle. representing the
independent coal operators, asked that
martial law be proclaimed in Pennsylvania
''to at once squelch the anarchistic condi-
ton Of affairs existing in the anthracite
coal regions by the strong arm Of the mill
tary at your command" Truesdale,
President of the Lackawanna, read n long
appeal for military and legal action against
the strikers. Mr.. Wilcox, Vice President
and Counsel of the Delaware & Hudson,
read n brief asking that troops be sent
into Pennsylvania. citing as a precedent
Cleveland's action in Chicago at the time
of the Debs strike. and asking further that
the United Mine Workers be proceeded
against under the Sherman act as in the
nature of a trust for the restraint of
trade. Mr.. Fowler, of the New York,
Ontario & Western, requested leave to
submit a future statement. Mr.. Mitchell
then spoke again in rebuttal of the
charges against the labor unions.
The President then asked the coal
operators if they were willing to accept
the Mitchell offer to submit matters to
arbitration, and they answered "No." In
response to further query from Mr..
Roosevelt, they stated they would have
no dealings whatever with Mr.. Mitchell,
and that they had no proposition to make
save that Of Mr.. Baer, that employees could
submit their grievances to the decisions
of the JUICES Of the Courts of Common
Pleas in Pennsylvania. With this, the
conference came to close.
Nothing further is likely to be done on
the side Of the National Administration
The President cannot send Federal troops
into Pennsylvania until so requested by
the Governor of the State. or until the
State has exhausted all available means
for preserving order. In the Cleveland
action mt Chicago, cited as n precedent,
a Federal question, that Of the transmits
sion of the mails, was involved. and there
is none such in this matter. Technically
and legally, the coal strike, although af-
fecting the interests of the whole East, is
merely a domestic dispute between en-
plOyers and employed inside the State
lines Of Pennsylvania. Condemnation Of
the mines by eminent domain, with future
Federal ownership, as suggested by the
Saratoga Democratic Convention, was dis
missed by Attorney General Knox with
the remark-alleged to have come from
the President-that eminent domain is
eminent rot.r Congress will hardly be
called into extra session, since it is not
clear exactly what question should be sub
mitted to it, and because the call would