New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-10-15

for the people That is the rurpOrt OF the day :
news. BY his brave act of Intervention he has
probably ended a situation which was causing
much keen distress and which threatened ap-
palling woe. In opening the way for an ending
of the coal strike he has conferred an inesti-
mable benefit upon the city Of New-York and
upon the whole northern Atlantic seaboard. To
MI an empty eoalbin may not have an heroic
sound But we have only 10 recall the popular
complaints and apprehension of the last few
weeks 20 realize that in doing just that the
President will perform public service Of such
magnitude as is not often performed by any
man. There viii be no danger of giving him too
much credit for the achievement All that can
be given by grateful people viii be his unques-
toned due. II viii not be merely that he will
have won the moral victory Of bringing reason
OUT Of unreasOn and Of securing agreement be
tween those who were yesterday AZ odds His
victory will be the intensely practical one Of
stopping the strike and Of starting the mining
of coal again on the fullest scale. Whoever else
may have talked. the President will have done
the work
The proposal for arbitration which the Presi-
dent has secured from the coal operators needs
only one thing 10 become Immediately effective
for the ending of the strike. That is accept
snce by the miners union. or. To be more ex-
plict. 10y Mr.. Mitchell the head OF thar organ
iZation. and that such acceptance will promptly
De- forthcoming we must decline 10 doubt. Mr.
Mitchell cannot withhold il without self-con-
demnation. II viii be remembered that he him
self made a formal offer Of arbitration az the
recent White House conference This later
offer Of the operators is not identical with his.
but it is similar 70 il. II differs from il chiefly
in respects which viii the more commend IL
10 the favor Of thoughtful men II is in all es-
sentials so nearly like Mr. MitcheITs own plan
that IL is NOT conceivable that ne could in rea-
son and Justice propose the one and reject the
other. Let US compare them
Both call for arbitration Of all the issues of
the strike by commission TO be appointed by
the President. pending which there shall be
immediate resumption OF work at the mines.
Mr. Mitchelrs plan left the formation Of the
commission entirely 10 the President, while
that OF the operators fixes the number al five
and indicates the professional classes from
which the members are 10 be drawn. Whether
or not IL is desirable thus 10 lay out the Presi-
dents work for him, the operators prescription
certainly cannot be said TO impose a partisan
character upon the commission Indeed II
would be difficult 10 suggest a commission more
likely 10 have the authority OF knowledge and
more readily 10 be imparrially constituted than
that suggested by the operators. II we consider
army and navy officers and federal judges 70
be without bias, ii is obvious that the other
three members may also be Indeed they
might, if the President chose he men strongly
inclined toward the miners side For the
miners would scarcely venture 10 say that al
expert mining engineers not connected with
those mines all practical coal miners and deal
ers, and all eminent sociologlsts are ALREADY
committed TO the operators side Of the case.
The operators do not offer 10 recognize the
union, but neither did Mr.. Mitchell demand
that they should, so thar on that point there is
no antagonism between the plans. Mr. Mitchell
merely said that he would call a convention and
recommend resumption Of work. while the oper-
ators say that upon the Presidents appointment
Of the commission all men shall return 10 work.
Mr. Mitchell said the commissions decree
should be binding for not less than one year nor
more than five years. and the operators saw II
shall he for at least three years making suhstan-
tial agreement upon that point. Mr. Mitchell
proposed that the scale OF wages which the arbi-
traitors might fix should 90 into effect from the
time Of resumption Of work, while the operators
propose that the arbitrator shall fix the date
al which II shall become effective Upon that
point the only difference is that the operators
are willing 10 leave the hands OF the arbitrators
more free than Mr. Mitchell suggested.
There is thus substantial agreement between
the two propositions that Of the operators differ
ing from that Of the strikers in no respect
hostile 20 the rights of the latter. but. on the
other hsnd. making concessions 10 the strikers
far beyond what most men will be inclined TO
think are the requirements of equity. II is
singularly generous offer. made in the interest
of the public welfare TO stop a costly and dis
tressing strike and 10 reestablish amicable re-
lati0ns between workingmen and their en-
plOyers. II is made, moreover. not 10 avoid i'm
pending defeat but at a time when the makers
OF il are steadily increasing the output Of coal
from their mines and seem 70 be winning all
along the line II deserves 20 be accented
promptly and unhesitatingly. Its acceptance
can be prevented by only an unreasonable and
captious perversity. such as we should not ex-
pect 10 find in men of intelligence and iudg-
ment Even such obstruction would react
against its authors more than il would delay
the consummation which is now in view. The
acceptance Of the offer will mean the immedi-
ate resumption Of mining on the fullest possible
scale and within few weeks q restoration Of
normal conditions in the anthracite coal market
II is impossible not 70 believe that that will he
effected as a result Of present negotiations For
such granting Of the public desire. and such de-
liverance out Of present trouble and threatened
disaster. the people OF New-York OF the whole
North Atlantic seaboard. and in a measure the
whole country. viii he indebted 70 the tact. the
courage and the masterful resolution Of the
President Of the Tinted States