The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-10-21
LITTLE DOUBT AS TO coNvEN-
TOMS DECISION.
NO QUARREL WITH MORGAN
President Mitchell Declares That
Merger King Was Reasonable
Throughout and for Peace.

Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct. 19.-What is
probably the last full week of the
anthracite coal strike closed yester
day without anything developing tc
change the peaceful trend of events
It was a quiet day at headquarters
and a busy one in the district and sub,
district headquarters throughout the
entire coal fields, on account of the
election of delegates to Mondays con.
vention.
All the locals" have met and Sc.
lected their representatives to the
Wilkesbarre gathering. There seems
to be little doubt that the convention
will accept the offer of arbitration.
Reports have been received here, COM
ing from the region around Scranton
that there will be much opposition
to the acceptance of the plan, but
these reports are not taken serious
ly at President Mitchell's headquar-
tiers. There will be opposition in the
convention, but it is expected to dis
appear after Mr.. Mitchell explains
the proposition to the delegates.
One Difficult Question.
Probably the most difficult ques-
ton which will come before the con-
vention is the one relative to strikers
securing their old places. The COM
panies are on record as saying they
will take care of all the employees who
have stood by them during the strike.
Many of the miners want the conven-
ton to- withhold acceptance of the
arbitration plan until the union is as.
sured that the strikers will be employ
ed in their former places. This will
likely aus a long debate, but the
officials of the union say this will be
fixed up satisfactorily to all concern
ed.
Mr.. Mitchell was asked about the
report that j. P. Morgan was forced
to intervene in the strike and he said:
Morgan Was Reasonable.
ITO my personal knowledge Mr..
Morgan has been trying to settle the
coal strike ever since he came back
from Europe two months age. If 9TH
ers had been az fair and reasonable
as Mr.. Morgan was, the strike would
have been settled a long time ago l
know nothing about Mr.. Morgan's
financial interests causing him to seek
a settlement Of the strike, but l am
informed he has keenly felt his re-
s~ponsibility to the public in connec-
tion with the coal famine and has
done his best to bring about the end.
Both Mr.. Morgan and MI. Cassatt, Of
the Pennsylvania railroad, were work
ing for a settlement when President
Roosevelt made his last and success
full move. Mr.. Morgan could not very
well be forced to do something which
he had been trying to accomplish for
several weeks. l make this state
ment in justic to Mr.. Morgan.
No Quarrel With Morgan.
1--WE have no quarrel with him, and
we wish zone. We do not fear him,
but prefer his friendship if he is will
to give it to us. l am confidential
ly informed that he is friendly to or
ganiZed labor. AS an organizer of
capital he comedies the right of labor
organize also, and when labor or
CARNATIONS are fair and conservative
he believes in dealing directly with
them for the advantage of both en-
and employee. 1t is this rela-
which the United Mine Work
ers seeks in the anthracite field, and
we invite Mr.. Morgan to cooperate
with us in securing a permanent and
scientific solution OF the LABOR prob
lem in this region"
A Shaft Wrecked.
The shaft of the Mount Lookout
colliery of the Temple Coal & Iron
company at Wyoming was wrecked to-
day by n of the locomotives used
hauling cars containing coal. The
engineer left the locomotive for a
moment and it suddenly started and
ran full speed 200 yards to the shaft
and plunged down., landing 230 feet
below the surface at the rash vein.
the boiler did not ex-,
)lode, but the big machine in it's fall
ore cut the lining of the shaft and
lid other damage that will cause a
for a week or more. A
seconds before the accident, a
,age holding 10 men was lowered
Town the shaft and they had just