The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-02
PRESIDENT PLAYS
 FOR B|G STAKES Politics Behind Ills Last Efforts
 to Settle the Strike. CAMPAIGN NEEDS THUNDER Unless Something Is Done to End the Anthracite Strike Republican
 Managers Fear They Will
 Lose tne Next House.
CAMPAIGN NEEDS THUNDER
BY PATTERSON sTEALEY.

Washington, October l-(Special)-While the announced object of President Roose- velts action in calling President Mitchell or the United Mine Workers in confer ence with the presidents of the coal rail- ways here next Friday morning is for the public interest,"" the political phases of the situation are fully realized in ad- ministration circles to be of such gigantic importance as to occupy a doubtful sec ondary position.
 The party in power is always blamed sometimes undeservedly, for financial panics, labor disturbances and kindred ills, and the party out of power entirely never fails to profit, to some extent, by | such occurrences.
 From the beginning the republican managers, headed by Chairman Babcock | of the republican congressional commit
 tee, have impressed upon the administra-
 tion the importance of settling the pend
 ing coal strike.
 It is understood here that Babcock and | others have sent men to the operators tc say that unless the coal strike was set | tied the republican party would be se- verely handicapped at the approaching elections.
 In 1900 the same plea was effective, but this year there is every reason to believe that the republican managers have up to this time been told by the operators that political considerations would not be al- lowed to enter into the present contro- versy.
 The President, 1t Is believed, has been fully acquainted with the reply of the operators, and his telegrams asking for a conference in this city next Friday morning is the last effort of the adminis- tration and the republican party mana gers to divert what may possibly develop into a party calamity, giving to the democrats the house this year and the presidency in 1904. It is the biggest kind fering for fuel will not be the only ones to anxiously await it's result.
 The political effect of the strike in the state of Pennsylvania would hardly re- suit in a loss of more than two or three seats in congress. for the well-oiled ma chine of Quay is calculated to count out any majority which might be given for the democratic ticket. It is in suchsstates as Indiana, West Virginia and Ohio that the direct effect Is more likely to be found.
 Indirectly the republican ticket must also suffer throughout the east where coal cannot be obtained at any price, and in New York the platform adopted by the democrats today calling for public ownership of anthracite coal mines in- stead of monopolistic ownership cannot but be a vote-getter so long as there Is an irriconcilable difference between the mine owi CT and the mine worker the public bearing the burden.
 According to labor leaders here, Presi- dent Mitchell will not throw up the strike unless he obtains some concession from the operators, who from all public state ments, are relying upon their principle of private ownership in natural monopo- lies to such a degree that they will have to take back a great deal to make any concessions. .ksl