The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1902-10-16

After the refusal of Mitchell and the
coal miners to accept the proposition of
President Roosevelt, that the miners
resume work upon the appointment of
commission to investigate their claims
and the Presidents promise to do all he
secure favorable congressional action,
numerous conferences were held be-
tween the parties in interest and promi-
nent and public men, including the
governors and senators of New York
and Pennsylvania, Secretary Root and
j. Z. Morgan.
Finally at Washington on Tuesday
the following proposition by the coal
operators was made and given out to
the public, which gives excellent prom
Use of bringing about settlement of the
long continued strike:
We suggest a commission to be APP
pointed by the President of the United
States IF he is willing to perform that
public service) to whom shall be refer
red all questions at issue between the
representative companies and their en-
ployes, whether they belong to a union
or not, and the decision of the commits
sion shall be accepted by us. The COM
mission to be constituted as follows:
l. One officer in the engineer corps
of either the military or naval service
of the United States.
2. An expert mining engineer, ex-
perienced in the mining of coal and
other minerals, and not in any way
connected with coal mining properties,
either anthracite or bitumnous.
8. One of the judges of the United
States courts of the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania.
4 A man of prominence, eminent as
sociologist.
s. A man who by active participation
in mining and selling coal, is familiar
with the physical and commercial fea-
lures of the business
1t being the understanding that i'm
mediately upon the constitution of such
commission, in order that idleness and
non-production may cease instantly, the
miners will return to work and cease
all interference with and persecution of
any non-union men who are working or
shall hereafter work. The finding of
this commission shall fix the date when
the same shall be effective and snail
govern the end of employment between
the respective companies and their en-
ployes for term of at least three years.
This is signed by George f. Baer, E. P.
Thomas, w. II. Truesdale, TIP. Fowler,
r Nj. Olyphant and Alfred Walters,
presidents of the leading coal carrying
railroads.
This proposition appears to have been
the direct result of Secretary Roots call
upon j. Pierpont Morgan of New York
and Mr.. Morgan's journey to New York
on Tuesday The proposition covers
about the same ground Of that submit
ted to President Roosevelt by Mr..
Mitchell at the meeting called by the
President but it does not in terms rec
ognze the Miners Union.
President Mitchell of the United Mine
Workers, dictated the following state
ment to the press, Tuesday night:
81 fully appreciate with what anxiety
the people of our country are awaiting
the end of the coal strike. The coal
operators have not addressed the Miners
Union or its officers in making their
public statement. 1t is, therefore, i'm
possible for me to state the attitude of
the miners at this time. | am now, as |
have always been, deeply solicitous of
the public and the welfare of the mine
workers who have been on strike for the
past five months. A formal statement
defining our position and intentions will
be issued just as soon as we are in pos
session of the full meaning of the
operators
John Mitchell president of the United
Mine Workers, arrived in Washington at
IL 81, Wednesday, in response to the in
vitation of President Roosevelt to meet
him in conference relative to the propos-
ais of the operators for the appointment
of a commission to Investigate and settle
the coal strike. Mr.. Mitchell left the
White House at 1855 p. M, having been
with the President a little over an hour
Mr.. Mitchell was In conference with
Commissioner of Immigration Sargent
for several hours, and in the afternoon
again met President Roosevelt. and left
Washington at AS p. M, for Wilkes
barre. A call has been issued for Joint
meeting of the executive boards of the
United Mine Workers of three anthracite
districts, to be held at Wilkesbarre, at
10 O'Clock to day, Thursday