The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-10-17

washington, October 16.-The great
anthracite coal strike is settled at last
A commission of six persons, with sew
enth Mr.. Carroll d. Wright, as record
er win adjust the differences between
operators and miners. President Mitch
ell of the miners union viii take the nee
essary measures to call the strike off.
The president will urge immediate re-
sumption of mining and operations are
expected to begin next !Teek-
Announcement that the great strike
was of was made by Secretary Root
with exuberant good humor at the
White House shortly after 1 o'clock.
Organized labor has a Eep1 esentative on
the commission in the uerson of E. E.
Clark, grand chief of tbs. Order of Rail-
way Conductors named as q sociologist.
The president added Bishop Spalding Of
Illinois to the list of five members sug-
gested by the operators. AS named, the
commission is perfectly satisfactory TO
both miners and operators. Assent OF
the miners was given through President
Mitchell and Mr.. Sargent commissioner
of immigration and of the operators
through Messrs. Robert Bacon and
George w. Perkins, of the banking firm
of j. Pierpont Morgan & 20. The fina
outcome followed a series Of confer
ences, beginning with two during the
day with Mr.. Mitchell and two during
the night with Messrs. Bacon and Per
kinS.
The officials will assemble in = few
days and choose chairman, possibly
Ar Wilson.
washington, October 15.-The pro-
Ionyed anthracite coal strike is not yet
practically settled, but some progress
was made today, and while there re-
main certain obstacles to be removed
these, an the language of Secretary
Root, It is believed. can be resolved
and n termination of the strike finally
secured The principal of these OBJ
stacles is the composition of the pro-
posed commission or board to arbitrate
the differences between the miners and
operators Mr. Mitchell indicated for
mally today to President Roosevelt
that the mine workers union dissents
from the restrictions placed by the op-
erators on the choice of the proposed
srbitration tribunal and desires the
president to have an absolutely free
hand In the selection cf members of
the commission to BE- charged with an
adjustment of future relations between
the employers and employed.
He laid special stress in stating his
sbjeetions on the proposition that one
Of the commission should be a judge
from the Eastern District OF PennSyl-
wanna He was verv insistent in some
Of his objections which he voiced in
what night be termed a counter propO-
sition to that of the operaors. After
the president and the head of the min
eS' union had exchanged views freely
and gone over this counter proposition
&C Mr.. Mitchelrs views, word was sent
cut by President Mitchell for a joint
inr of
boards of the mine workers union for
the three anthracite districts of Penn
syivania- At this meeting it is believed
an agreement will be reached on
statement to be officially promulgated
by the miners union, in response to
the proposition from the operators.
President Roosevelt having ascertain
ed the views Of Mr.. Mitchell, ait once
communicated with the operators and
Initiated efforts to reconcile the differ
ences developed and to have the op-
orators make some further concessions,
his aim being by mutual concessions to
reach q common accord between min
ers and operators whereby the labor
dispute may be finally composed and
mining of coal resumed
The progress made today was accom-
piiShed by means chiefly of two eN
Roosevelt and John Mitchell the preSi-
deat Of the United Mine Workers Of
America.
At the conclusion of the conferences,
Mr.. Mitchell said that he had no in
formation which he could give to the
public. 1t was announced, likewise, at
the temporary White House. that no
official statement o. the conferences
would be made at this time.
When the last conference had been
concluded, Mr. Mi; chell left the White
House and, after a brief conference
with President Samuel Gompers, de-
parted for Wilkesbarre, Pa Mr..
Hitcheirs visit to Washington was by
invitation of President Roosevelt VINO
asked him to come to Washington in
craer that they might discuss the
terms Of the proposition submitted 70
the president last Monday night by the
anthracite coal railroad presidents.
While all persons having knowledge
Of the details Of the conferences are
extremely reticent, enough is known to
justify the statement that while they
did mt accomplish a settlement of the
strike, they, at the same time were not
barren Of tangible results.
At the first conference, which lasted
from n:50 a m, until 1885 p. m, the
president and Mr.. Mitchell discussed
faIly the proposition made by the op-
Gators for an arbitration commission.
In a general way the miners president
Continued on fifth page.)