The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-10-21
REPLY MADE
BY MITCHELL
GRATEFUL TO PRESIDENT FOR
HIS EFFORTS.
HAS CONFIDENCE IN BOARD
Declares Arbitrators to Be Eminent
and Impartial Men-Hope-
full Of Future.

Washington, Oct. 1.-THE response
of John Mitchell, president Of the
United Mine Workers., to President
appointed a commission, was made
public today.
q 1t informs him of the action of the
executive boards of Districts /, Z and
9, in calling a convention and agree
ing to recommend unanimously the
resumption of work and the submits
sion of the differences between the
operators and the mine workers of
the anthracite coal fields" to the COM
mission.
The reply expresses confidence that
the convention will agree to the arbi-
.tration of the eminent and impartial
men" chosen by the president, and
expresses gratitude to the president
for his patriotic efforts to bring about
an honorable settlement of the strike.
The reply goes at length into the
grievances of the miners and con-
cludes with the expression of the
hope and belief that from this arbitra-
ton will come a complete, satisfactory
and permanent solution of the trou-
bles which have vexed the anthracite
field from time immemorial.
After referring to the refusal of the
operators to accept the proposal of
the miners to place the whole matter
into the hands of the president Mr..
Mitchell then goes on to- say why the
men declined to consent to the offer
of the operators to abide by the de-
cision of a board, the composition OF
which they dictated. He says:
"In their refusal to accept your
~arbitrament, the operators sought to
hold you in part accountable for the
very conditions which you were try.
ing to remedy and to instruct you as
to your duties concerning them. Eight
days later they again appear before
you, dropping the common pleas judge
and proposing to abide by the verdict
of a tribunal appointed by YOU, but
attempting to prescribe within fixed
and narrow limits the character and
vocation of the men you were to
name.
Why Opposed by Miners.
ITO this proposition as the opera
tors made it, we were unalterably OPP
posed. .
"First-Because II respect for
you as a man and our ideas as to
what is due to the dignity of your Of
flee demanded that we should not be
a party to a request Of you to accept
this great responsibility accompanied
by detailed and impertinent restric"
lions as to the manner in which you
should meet it.
observation-disclosures careful analysis
of their proposition disclosed to us,
as it did to you and the public, that
the restrictions were too narrow to
enable you to secure under them a
we'll balanced and thoroughly impair
tial tribunal. But 10Y that you have
yourself removed these objections by
broadening and Strengthening the COM
mission, we feel confident that our
convention will declare it's Willingness
to have all questions between the en-
ploying companies and the So per
cent of their employees who are mem
bers Of our organization, determined
by the board of eminent and impat-
tial men chosen by you. We feel
grateful, Mr.. President, for the patri-
otto efforts which you have made to
bring about an honorable settlement
of the strike-efforts which you con-
tinued despite the remarkable spirit
and conduct which you at first found
in the company managers.
Miners Are Grateful.
"We were in a position to- sympa-
thize with you inasmuch as we had
long been forced to endure arrogance.
insult and false witness from the
same source.
"Our gratitude is due to you and to
the American people and the press
who have supported you and us in the
long struggle which we hope is now
about to close. During all these long
months, in which our motives have
been impugned and our characters
maliciously assailed, we have refrain
ed from saying any word or taking
any action which would tend to rem
der reconciliation more difficult, but
il now becomes a duty to defend our
selves from the ISLANDERS which have
been heaped upon us and to proclaim
that we have from the first favored
practically the method which is nov
emnloved to break the deadlock.