Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-05
Both National and State Bodies to Probe
for the Facts.
MITCHELL TO SEND MEN BACK
He MAY DECLINE TO TAKE SUCH COURSE
Much VIII Depend ON Eject ~ Would
Have on Miners Unions stand
ing-Msny Radical suE-
EeStiOns Made.

WASHINGTON, Oct, 4.-The Post will say
tomorrow: The Importance OF reaching
as soon as possible tho solution OF the
strike problem has led the president to
arrange for a conference at tho White
House Sunday morning AT 10 o'clock The
conference will be attended by Secretary
Root, Secretary Moody. Attorney General
Knox and Commissioner Wright.
The conferees include the three law
yers in the cabinet and the commissioner
! Of labor, whose acquaintance with the de-
| tails of the situation is valuable to the
president. 1t cannot be stated that the
! conference has been called to consider any
| particular plan, but 1t is understood de-
velopments have arisen which require
| rious consideration
| WASHINGTON, Oct. A final effort,
with hope of success. is to be made g
end the coal strike. II has been dscuRsS
/ by the president and some OF his advisers
! today, and while the idea is still In an
| uncompleted state and the final result still
uncertain, yet it offers a method which now
seems to be the only solution OF the prob
lem.
The suggestion is made that President
| Mitchell of the United Mine Workers may
be able to have the men now on strike
l
pending disaster which a fuel famine will
| cause, and that at early a date as pos
sible there shall be a complete investlga-
tion by the national legislature and by the
state legislature Of Pennsylvania into the
anthracite coal situation with a view OF
bringing before the public the facts and
conditions of the miners, with a view to
legislation or recommendations for reiev-
ing the condition OF the miners in the near
future.
While 1t is not absolutely possible to
guarantee such an investigation, there is
little doubt that recommendations by the
president and the executive Of Pennsylvania
would be promptly acted upon by congress
and the Pennsylvania Legislature.
Just how President Mitchell will view
this suggestion cannot be stated, but II is
known that he and others fully realized
that, after statements by the presidents
OF the coal roads yesterday, there is littla
hope of securing any adjustment with the
operators by which the people of the coun-
try may be supplied with coal. 1t Is eX-
pected that President Mitchell will confer
with his associates in order that the
miners may be as much assisted by the
course suggested as by continuing the
strike and continuing the widespread suffer-
ing which is sure to follow a deadlock.
It is not certain that negotiations will be
opened with a view to carrying out a new
proposition. Much will depend upon the
way the miners view the proposition and
whether 1t will cause loss Of prestige to
r the union from which the organization cam
! not recover.
Many Radical suggestions Made.
, There will be no call for an extra session
> of congress to deal with the coal strike
situation at this stage.
The president expressly stated in his ap-
! peal to the operators and representatives OF
the miners yesterday that he did not act
officially in calling them together. He has
; for the time being exhausted his individual
resources, in his view. and the matter is
? again one with which the state Of Pennsyl-
vania should deal.
II the commonwealth finds itself unable
to control the situation and appeals to him
through the constitutional channels, the
4 president will be ready to bring into play
, the great forces OF the national government
military and civil. But for the time being
: the president has relaxed his efforts.
A great many radical suggestions have
been made as the result OF the failure Of
;. the conference yesterday and they include
everything from taking possession OF the
, mines by the government TO sending United
: States troops to Pennsylvania without re-
gard to any call from the governor Of thai
state.
: Commerce Commission Might Act.
As the coal moves mostly from the pro.
p ducing state to other states in the union
the carriers and their rates are subject
to the jurisdiction that congress conferred
| on the Interstate Commerce commission
Those informed on the subject say there
= would be little difnculty in getting som'
: competent person TO make a formal com
p plant, on which the commission is EN-
e powered to notify the carriers and Affort
. them a hearing, and then to institute and
a carry on an investigation to determine
d whether the rates they charge for transport
Q ing coal are unjust and unreasonable within
3 the meaning OF the first section OF the ao
TO regulate commerce. II the cOmmissiont
findings should be adverse to the com
panies It would order the carriers to ceas
imposing such rates, though the commits
: sion cannot prescribe in such a case tn
rates that should be substituted. II tn
roads refuse to comply. the next move Of
the part Of the government would be tn
institution by the commission of suit Il
h the proper United States court TO enforc
i the commissions order. The findings o
II fact by the commission would be deeme
in such a suit TO be primR facie correct
u but the carriers could introduce other an
. | turtneT proof Nuhh tuaA gwen poAOio ~
commission and virtually have the cases re
tried in the circuit court. Even II tn
circuit court should decree an enforcement
OF the Interstate Commerce commission
y order 10 the roads. the latter could continu
m the litigation almost interminRbly by ap
r pealing to the circuit court Of appeals an
- thence to the highest tribunal in the land
n, II can be positively stated that none @
y these suggestions has received any ssriou
consideration by the administration.
K. Late last evening the oflcers Of the rail
roads called upon Secretary Root, but III
W position they had assumed made 1t tmPos
sibe 70 carry the negotiations further. al
though various phases Of the situation wer
m briefly discussed.
in MitchelrE Attitude.
President Mitchell and other members
the anthracite miners committee who Al