The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-10-22
COAL BARONS
PROPOSE SETTLEMENT.
]. Pierpont Morgan Submits
Operators Plan to. President
Rooseyelt--R Commission
Suggested.

Washington, Oct. 13.-Mr. j. Pier
pont Morgan and Robert S. Bacon,
one OF his partners, arrived here over
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad to-
night about 10 o'clock and were driven
to the Arlington hotel. They refused
to see any one and went at once to
their rooms.
Shortly after going to his room, Mr.
Morgan came down stairs and left the
hotel for the temporary White House,
where he was at once shown up stairs
and into the room where the president
was and conference on the strike be-
gan. Secretary Root joined the party
in conference at the White House.
The conference broke up at lls50
O'Clock. Secretary Root and Messrs.
Morgan and Bacon at its adjournment
at once left the White House and went
20 the Metropolitan club a few blocks
away. None Of them would say any
thing except to refer all inquirers to
Mr.. Cortelyou, by whom they said a
statement would be given out later.
THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
Secretary Cortelyou, by authority
of those present at the White House,
made public the following authorized
statement concerning the conference.
MI. j. Pierpont Morgan came to
Washington with his partner, Mr.;
Bacon, at the request OF the coal
companies who desired that as mat
ter of courtesy their statement should
be shown to the president before it
was made public. Having been laid
before the president by Mr.. Morgan,
it is now given to the press.
To the Public:
The managers of the different coal
properties comprising the anthracite
coal fields, wish their position in the
present strike to be understood, and
therefore make the following statement
Of facts:
There are in the anthracite cegions
about cooperating companies and firms
and l47,O00 miners and workmen (of
which 80, ,000 are under agel comprising
some 20 nationalities and dialects.
OF these Workmen possibly one-halt
belong to The United Mine Workers
Union, OF which Mr.. John Mitchell is
president. That organization was
originally formed in the bituminous
coal region, and three-fourths of its
members are miners of bituminous
coal, and bitumillous coal is. sold in
active competition with anthracite
coal. The remaining workmen IN the
anthracite fields either belong to no
union whatever or do not belong TO
the Mine Workers Union.
The present strike was declared
I. m
10th day of May. 1902. Since that
time many Workmen not belonging so
or not willing to follow that organiza-
tion were working in and about the
mines. From 1900 to 10000 are now
at work. Many more have wished to
work but have been prevented by a
course of violence and intimidation
towards those working, and toward
their families, accompanied by the
destruction of properties and the fear
Of death or bodily harm to every man
who wishes to exercise his right to
work. A schedule is annexed hereto
showing some of the things done to
create this reign of terror, and every
instance stated can be verified by re-
ference to the officers Of the law-eivil
and military-in the anthracite region.
This violence has continued and steadi-
" increased Notwithstanding repeated
disavowals by Mr.. Mitchell, and it is
clear he either cannot or will not pre-
vent it, and that the rights of the
other workmen cannot be protected
under his supremacy from mine work
ers' union.
WHY ARBITRATION WAS DECLIN-
ED.
The coal companies believe that the
wages paid in the coal regions are fair
and full and all the business in its
| normal condition has been able to
stand If the capital invested is to have
any reasonable return. The profits
| have been small, several of the COM
panies have become bankrupt and
been reorganized several times. Sey-
eral have not paid dividends, and the
dividends of the others have been a
small return for the capital invested.
Is is not, however, the purpose Of this
statement to discuss this question.
The undersigned are not, and never
have been, unwilling to submit all
l S0CSU1OAS OO0WOO41 CIV o4O41
workmen to any fair tribunal for de-
cision. They are not willing to enter
into arbitration With the mine work
ers' union, an organization chiefly
composed Of men in a rival and COM
petitive interest, and they are not
willing TO make any arrangement
which will not secure to the men now
working, and all now or hereafter
wishing to work. whether they belong
to the mine workers union or not,
the right and opportunity to work in
safety and without personal insult or
| bodily harm to themselves or their
families. For these reasons the arbi-
trations heretofore proposed have been
| declined.
It will be remembered that at the
conference in Washington Oct. 3, we
made the following offer: That we
would take up at each colliery any al.
legged grievance, and in the event of a
failure to make satisfactory adjust
ment of the questions at issue Co be
submitted to the final decision of the