New-York tribune., 1902-10-17
CREDIT DUE To PRESIDENT.
MR. ROOSEVELT WARMLY CONGRATU-
LATED on HIS SUCCESS.
THERE WAS DANGER OF DISAGREEMENT
Up TO THE LAST MOMENT OF THE
CONFERENCE - WORK OF
THE COMMISSION.
lBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l

/ communicating him on his success in settling
/ the strike in the coal fields. and assuring the
/ termination Of the fuel famine which was threat
! ening distress and death to many Of the poor,
and discomfort and inconvenience TO all
/ The strike would probably have been broken
| by the operators i'm a few weeks. after the
| vorlmen throughout the country, who were
! contributing to the support of the strikers, had
| felt the pinch Of cold weather, and stopped
| their subscriptions, but the end would have
/ almost inevitably amid riot and blood
| shed That the long pending controversy has
/ been settled peaceably before cold weather had
! brought great distress. due to President
| Roosevelt and the energetic steps which he took
| 10 bring the operators and the mine workers
| together This is realized by the country, and
| The President is receiving full credit.
| AGREEMENT REACHED AT LAST MINUTE.
Up to the very last minute last night there
/ was danger OF another disagreement and a
further postponerrent of the settlement When
| MI Mitchell was at the White House yesterday
afternoon the President told him that he had
decided to increase the commission 10 six. and
submitted 10 him the names of the men who
! had been selected. Mr.. Mitchell approved them
| all The determination Of the President to meet
! his views bv increasing the commission gratifed
! him greatly and he was satisfied with the seiec
/ tion of Bishop Spalding. who is in sympathy
! with all efforts to improve the condition OF
| workingmer He was especially Eratified with
] he choice Of Mr. Clark the "socologist" thus
/ assuring the miners Of a direct representation
/ of organized labor on the commission
! With Mr Mitchell satisfied the President was
/ stu confronted with the task Of securing the
| approval Of the operators. This proved a hard
/ thing TO do In response to a telegram. Messrs.
/ Perkins and Bacon arrived in Washington early
| in the evening. They had no authority from
| the operators TO yield an inch. Mr.. Morgan and
/ the presidents Of the operating companies we're
/ communicated with by telegraph and telephone.
| The operators were Unyielding at first They
! did not object 70 the Presidents definition Of
! the word "socioogist" nor did they object the
/ man appointed under this head as they knew
/ Mr. Clark and had confidence In his fairness.
/ They did object 10 the enlargement Of the com
mission. however. and Il was not until Secretary
I Root had talked over the telephone with Mr..
Morgan for half hour that they finally yield
/ ed at ! o'clock this morning. II hour
/ later before the approval Of all had been secured
for the entire personnel of the commission.
SATISFACTORY TO BOTH SIDES.
Comment on the commission is generally en-
| thusastic to-day. II IS entirely satisfactory TO
the labor leaders and good results In the way OF
| improving the relations between labor and CAPT
tai generally are expected 10 follow the adop
ton of arbitration as the means Of settling one
| Of the greatest strikes in the history OF labor
| troubles. The President hopes and believes that
/ the findings will be unanimous When the COM
! uissloners meet they will be informed that una
nimity is desirable if It possibly he reached.
| This will add greatly TO the weight OF its de
| cision
The commission will be instructed 10 consider
| all the issues Involved in the strike as formu-
| lated by the strikers and the operators. These
| include the demand Of the mine workers for an
! increase OF 10 per cent in the wages OF men
| who are paid by the ton. and reduction OF ~
! per cent in the time Of per diem employees. and
| the demand that miners paid by the ton shaIl
| he paid for the actual weight OF all coal mined
on the basis Of 2.24o pounds to the ton. They
! also include the complaints Of the operators that
the union has interfered with discipline in the
| mines and has encouraged insubordination. and
| has refused allow men to enter the mines
| without having a union card. even though they
/ might be certhcated miners under the laws or
| Pennsylvania. and that. I'm general. the union
1 hac interfered with the right OF the mine own
| ers 70 manage their own property.
| The commission will be called upon TO de-
| termine which of the demands OF the miners, II |
| any. shall be granted and 10 lay down rules
| governing the discipline in the mines and the
| employment of union and mont -uion labor which
! viii tend 10 prevent friction on these points
The question Of the recognition OF the union as
| a preliminary 10 negotiations was waived by
| Mr. Mitchell and this question will not come
| possible that some recommendations may be
| made this point Mr.. Mitchell is satisfied
|
| of the union and will be as valuable for all
practical purposes if it should he recognized
! in express terms.
| HOPES TO PREVENT FURTHER STRIKES.
! Whatever the result of the arbitration may
| be- the President hopes that it will put end
| 10 the frequently recurring disorders in the
anthracite region. 1t will insure az least three
| years Of peace in which both the operators and
| the miners can see the advantage OF adjusting
| their differences by arbitration and agreement
| and il is the belief Of the President and the
| officials who acted with him that at the expira-
tion Of the three years these advantages will
| be apparent that they will have no difficulty
| in adjusting any differences which may then
| exist Whether not these results shall be fully
| attained or not will depend largely on the man.
| agement and development of the United Mine
| Workers of America. II can be said that II Mr.
| Mitchell remains at the head of the union and
| is successful in carrying out his ideas the gen
| eTal tone of the mine workers Will be much ele-
waited in the three years to be covered by this
| agreement Efforts to be made TO restrain
the more radical elements among the miners and
20 imbue them with ideas of their responsible
| ity parties to the settlement prescribed by
| the Presidents commission. If these ideas can
be carried out, and il the union can he made
to recognize the rights Of non-union men and of
| liberty OF contracts, as some Of the more con-
| servative miners now do II is believed bv those
| who have co-operated with the President Thai
there will be little danger of more strikes in the
| coal fields. ~
| II has not Yet been determined when nv ,,,L
the commission will hold its sttlngs II is os
| sumed that its headquarters win be in vs.
ington. but II is likely that Of it's sessIons
| will be held in Newly and in the coal regionS
| probably at Wilkesbarre. Two OF the members
| General Wilson and Mr.. Parler and the -
| cordcr. Commissioner Wright live in this CITY
| and they ready to begin their yOrl, az -,
| time. The others, it is expected will he abIe 70
| come here without delay and PROMPTLY begir the
!aoors OF the commission It's first step viii be