Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-21
Miners Exceedingly Grateful to
President.
PRAISE EFFORTS TO END STRIKE
Mitchell Reviews the Case and Calls
Attention to the Fact That the Oper-
ators Have Receded From Former
Arrogant Position.

Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct 1S.-In letter
to- President Roosevelt in reply to a
telegram from the latter informing
him that commission had been APP
pointed to arbitrate the differences be.
tween the miners and the operators
in the anthracite coal strike, John
Mitchell, president of the United Mine
Workers of America, expresses his
real opinion OF the operators in no IN
certain manner. After informing the
President that convention of miners
had been called to accept the. offer to
arbitrate by the commission method.
Mr.. Mitchell says:
In connection with this subject we
are glad to know that the managers
of the coal companies have deceived to
recedet from the untenable position
which they SO long occupied and to
accept modified proposition for the
arbitration of the coal strike and to
give you full latitude in the selection
of commission.
Miners Trusted the President
ut will be remembered that we pro-
posed Oct. to place the whole mat
dict of tribunal of your own selec-
ton 1t will also be remembered that
the company managers at that time
refused to accept the arbitrament OF
the President of the United States and
pleas judges. We proposed to leave
or reservation, having the utmost
o,,tio nd
judgment.
In their refusal to accept your ar
bitrament the operators sought to hold
you in part accountable for the condi
tions which you were trying to rene
dy, and to instruct you as to your du
ties concerning them
Eight days later they again appear
ed before you, dropping the common
pleas judge and proposing to abide by
you, but attempting to prescribe with
in fixed and narrow limits the charac
ter and vocation of the men you were
to name.
''To this proposition. as the operat
ors made it, we were unalterably op
posed First, because our respect fol
you as man and our ideas as t.
what, is due to the dignity of your Office
demanded that we should not be /;
party to request of you to accept Thu
great responsibility accompanied by
detailed and impertinent restrictions
as to the manner in which you shoult
meet it; second, because careful analy
sis Of their proposition disclosed t.
us. as it did to you and the public, tina
the restrictions were too narrow to en-
able you to secure under them vel
balanced and thoroughly impartia
tribunal.
Gratitude to the President.
But now that you have yourself re
moved these objections by broadenin
and strengthening the commission W
feel confident that our convention wi
declare it's willingness to have al
questions between the employing con
NAMES and the So per cent of thei
employes who are members of our o.
ganization determined by the board c
eminent and impartial men chosen b
YOU
''We feel grateful to you, Mr.. Pres
Won have made to bring about an hol
orable settlement of the strikei e
forts which you continued despite tn
TGmdTkdDie opiiie NOliuuIl "HiS
YOU at first found in the comapn
managers.
1--WE were in a position to symp
thize with you, inasmuch as we ha
long been forced to endure arrogal
insult and false witness from the san
source. Our gratitude is due to yc
and ito the American people and IL
press, who have Imported you al
us in the long struggle which v
hope is now about 70 close.
During all thest long months,
which our motives have been impug
ed and our charactas maliciously a
sailed, we have refraned from sayil
any word or taking any action while
would tend to render reconciliatie
more difficult, but nov it becomes
,lnty to defend ourselves against Il
FLANDERS which have lien heaped II
on us and to proclaim that We ha
from the first favored practically Il
M. shod which is now employed
AREA. the deadlock.
IF our proffer of arbiFaton or il