Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-07
WILL NOT ARBITRATE
Further Steps are Undetermined
as Yet.
SUMMARY OF THE COAL CONFERENCE
Mitchell and Baer Make Statements to
the acknowledgements Takes
Notes of the Meeting and President
Requests That 1t Be Made Public.

Requests That 1t Be Made Public.
Washington, D. c., Oct. 4.-Absolute
and complete failure to settle the great
anthracite coal strike met the efforts
of President Roosevelt yesterday, and
when two stormy conferences held at
the White House, We're concluded the
solution of the labor fight seemed fur
ther off than ever.
President Mitchell, representing the
striking miners, offered to submit the
entire question to board OF arbitra-
tors appointed by the President, who
was asked to be member of the
board, and to abide by its decision, ey-
en- if every point should be decided
against the miners.
The coal presidents summarily and
with some bitterness rejected the prof
fer of peace, demanded of the Presi
dent that he suppress anarchy in the
coal regions and declared they would
never treat with Mitchell.
Just what further steps will be TAX
en- by President Roosevelt have not
vet been determined, but there is no
doubt he will continue his efforts to
induce or force the contending sides
to make an agreement.
In sum and substance this is what
happened at this conference:
1. President Roosevelt read the con-
ferees his appeal for peace in behalf OF
the public.
2. President Mitchell, on behalf OF
the miners, responded with proposal
that the men would go back to work at
once and leave the question of new
wages to President Roosevelt and a
commission to be appointed by him,
asking only that the representatives of
the mining corporations also bind
themselves to accept the verdict.
8. This was scornfully rejected by
all the corporation managers each
of whom declared that he would have
nothing to do with any proposition en-
anating from John Mitchell or the
miners union.
4. The only semblance of PROPOSE.
tion made by the railway presidents
was that the miners first return to
work, then as individuals, not as an
organization, present their grievances
% the mine bosses. If the mine bosses
would agree to have them refereed by
the judges of the common pleas
courts. But in no case was there to
be any business dealings with the I'M
ion.
5. Then the railway presidents
made violent personal attack upon
President Mitchell and the Mine Work
ers' Union, charging them with CON-
plicity in disorder and murder in the
coal region.
6. The railway presidents also
turned on President Roosevelt and de-
manded of him that he send federal
troops to the anthracite field, COUGHING
their demand in language which
President Roosevelt himself resented
as impertinent and offensive.
Morning Session.
At the morning session, which last
ed only twenty minutes, not a word
was spoken by any of the railway rep
resentatiyes. They sat mute and
dumb during the appeal OF President
Roosevelt, and scowIed while Presi-
dent Mitchell was stating his PROPOSE
ton. Then President Roosevelt asked
the conferees to retire and think it
in the afternoon.
Afternoon Session.
Promptly at 8 o'clock President
Mitchell and his comrades /, the three
district presidents-Messr Nichols.
duffy and Fahy-arriyed at the White
House. The railway presidents We're
few minutes late.
Again Mr.. Mitchell was first I'm the
field. At the invitation of President
Roosevelt he opened the afternoon ses-
sion by reading his carefully prepared
statement, embodying in detail the
proposition which he had made in the
morning. Then followed the reading
of the statements of Messrs. Baer,
Truesdale, Fowler, Markle and Wilcox,
representing the coal railways. 1t
was during the reading of these state
ments that the fire of anger flashed
out. Mr.. Mitchell was compelled to
sit silent under malicious attack,
and President Roosevelt interrupted
(. to correct Misrepresentation of him.
self
Mine Workers. Statement Brief.
The Mine Workers. statement is
brief. They say they are much i'm
pressed with the Presidents views and
the dangers to the welfare of the cuun-
try from the prolongation of the strike
Continuing, they say:
Conscious of the responsibility rest
ing upon us, conscious of our duty to
society, conscious OF our Obligations
80 one hundred and fifty thousand