Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-10-17
MAY Y. Not I Be ACCEPTED
Miners Disinclined to Agree to OPP
orators Proposal.
MAY DEMAND CHANGE IN ITS FORM.
No Definite Statement of Their Posi-
ton Yet Made, However-Con-
vention May BE Necessary
to Decide

GLcTe Is every 1nulcaUlOu 1OI pelleflAS
that the new arbitration plan proposed
by the presidents of the coal compa-
MES for ending the miners strike will
not be accepted in its present form.
There is a division of opinion among
the strikers. but there is no doubt that
majority feel that the offer to have
the president of the United States Sc
lect an arbitration commission along
the lines suggested by the operators
is not fair and that it unduly limits the
president in making up the board. The
miners, it is safe to say, will abide the
advice of their national president, in
whose judgment they have the utmost
confidence.
Mitchell Won't Give Opinion.
President Mitchell declines to say
how he personally looks uponthe prop
osition, but he gave to the press the
following statement:
II 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 it's officers in maxi
ing their public statement. 1t is,
therefore, impossible for me to state
the attitude of the miners at this time.
am now, as have always been, deep
ly sohcitous of the interests of the
public and the welfare of the mine
workers who have been on strike for
the past five months. A formal state
ment defining our position and inten-
tlons will be issued just as soon as we
are in possession of the full meaning
OF the proposition of the operators"
This statement was made by him at
O'Clock after a silence lasting all day.
He had no intention of making it until
the correspondents representing news
papers all over the country called on
him in body and informed him that
the general public desired to have an
answer to the proposition of the oper-
ators. After giving it he was asked
many questions regarding the attitude
OF the men and the probability of the
acceptance or rejection of the new Of
fer, but he had no reply to make to any
of these questions. He denied that he
had any knowledgeo of what the new Of
fer of the operators was until it be-
came public property, and also denied
that he was in telephone communities
ton with President Roosevelt. His at.
tention was called to the fact that
most of the information from Wash
ington indicated that the proposition
would be accepted, and that the strike
was near an end, but he stoutly main
tanned that neither his officers nor the
rank and file of the men had done any,
thing to cause such an impression to
| go ont.
The district presidents also main.
tain filence asto their personal opin
Jon on the proposition excepting Presi
dent Fahy, who, after he arrived from
Boston, gave an inkling as to how he
viewed the new turn In affairs. In re-
ply to query he said: "The strike
cannot be settled without the conseni
of the men. We are not dealing in colo
bricks of any kind; and you can make
any deduction from that you want"
| VIII Hold Conference.
There will be conference to-day be
tween Mr.. Mitchell, the three district
presidents and Secretary-Treasure1
Wilson, who will arrive here to-day. I,
is fully expected tfat the sentiment
Of all the strikers will be known to
day, and that action will be taken ac
eordingiy. There is talk of conven
ton being called, but there is nothing
definite on which to base this talk
When Mr.. Mitchell was asked If he ani
| the district officers had power to enc
the strike. he said that 1t is rule Of
the organization, that no settlement
can be made by the officers OF the union
without the consent of a delegate con.
vention. 1t is practically certain that
Mr.. Mitchell's advice will be followed
in the conference. While he has not
said word as to what he will do, it IL
freely predicted by those who under.
stand the situation that he will advise
refusal of the proposition.
Find Many Objections.
The rank and file of the miners view
the new proposal in different lights
and make strong arguments according
to their views. Those who are opposed
to accepting the new offer look upon
ths operators latest move as coun.
teF proposition 10 Mr.. Mitchell's offe,
to arbitrate made in the temporary
white house at Washington. They
compare the two offers and pick on1
what they allege to be many flaws
Their greatest objection is that ths
operators dictate to the president
| frosa what class of men he shall select
the arbitraters, and they charge the
| operators with hack OF faith in the
president when they do not give him
free hand topick the men he wants
Another objection is that the presi.
dent is limited to four men in selecting
the jurist on the commission. Neither
are they sure, they say, that labor
would be represented, because the pro-
posal does not specifically say so, and
add that they have no assurance that
aa man of prominence, emiinent as a
sociologist" would cover this objection
Favor Acceptance.
A great many of the strikers think
the proposition should be accepted
and that the miners should trust to
President Roosevelt to do the best he
can under the conditions laid down
10y the coal ROAD presidents. An argu-
ment was made by one 4alplii4per that Mr.
Mitchell could not we'll afford to turn
down the proposition after already
Offering to permit the president to