Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-10-09
PRESIDENT
EFFORTS FAIL
Conference at the White
House Ends Without
Agreement.
OPERATORS CoNCEDE NOTHING
President Mitchell of the Mine Workers
says the Miners Are Willing to Abide
BY tho Decision OF an Arbitration COM
mittee.

mttteos
Washington, Oct 1.-The second
step In the presidents efforts to effect
q settlement between the anthracite
coal magnates and the miners was
taken yesterday. At 11:10 O'Clock, ten
minutes after the hour fixed for the
conference. every person who had been
invited to participate, with the ex-
ception of President Oliphant of the
delaware & HUDSON, who sent as his
personal representative David Wilcox,
vice president and general counsel of
the road, and President Cassatt of the
pennsylvania road, was present in the
second-story front room of the tenn
porary executive mansion, where the
president since his return from In
dianapolis has been living. The presi-
dent during the conference was seated
In large Invalid chair, his left leg
extended at full length. resting upon
a cushion. The president greeted
most cordially each of his guests
as tney appeared and when all were
assembled he stated 70 them in brief
preliminary way his object in calling
them together.
The president, fully realizing the
Importance of the communication that
he had to make. said he had prepared
carefully worded paper on the pend
ing controversy. he then said:
Il wish to call your attention to the
fact that there are three parties af.
fected by the situation In the anthra-
cite trade-the operators, the miners
and the general public. l SPEAK for
Or ha
but for the public. The question at
issue which led to the situation affects
Immediately the parties concerned, the
operators and the miners; but the
situation itself vitality affects the pub
lie. As long as there seemed 10 be
reasonable hope that these matters
could be adjusted between lie parties
1t did not seem proper for me to in.
tervene In any way. | disclaim any
right or duty to intervene in this way
upon legal grounds or upon any Of
ficial relation that bear TO the situa.
ton, but the urgency and fhe terrible
nature of the catastrophe impending
over large portion OF our people in
the shape Of q winter fuel famine i'm.
pels me. after much anxious thought.
TO believe that my duty requires me
to use whatever influence / possibly
can to bring to an end a situation
which has become literally intolerable.
/ wish to emphasize the character of
the situation and to say that its char
Rcter Is such that l am constrained
urgently to insist that each one of
you realize the heavy burden of re-
sponsibility upon him. We are upon
the Threshold of winter, with an al.
ready existing coal famine. the future
terrors of which we can hardly APP
preciate. The evil possibilities are so
far-reaching and appalling that 1t
r2ems to me that you are not only
Justified in sinking for the time be-
ing. but required to sink for the time
being, any tenacity as to your respec-
tive claims in the matter at issue be-
tween you. 1t is my judgment that the
situation imperatively requires that
you meet upon the commonplace neces-
stiles of the public. with all the earn
estness there is in me i ask that there
be an immediate resumption Of opera
ton in the coal mines in some such
way as will. without a days unnec-
sary delay. meet the needs of the peo-
pie. l do not invite discussion of
your respective claims and positions.
! appeal to your patriotism. to the
spirit that sinks personal considera-
tions ana makes individual sacrifices
for the general good.
At the afternoon conference. Presi-
dent Baer of the operators. read his
statement. which is in substance as fol.
lows:
ITO the President of the United
States: We understand your anxiety
rs forcibly expressed In the statement
you read to us this morning to bring
about AN immediate resumption Of
operations In the coal mines in some
such way as will. without days UNI
necessary delay, meet the crying
needs of the people We infer that
Mr.. Mitchell verbally made this
the United Mine Workers, to go back
to work, II you would appoint COM
mission to determine the questions at
issue.
You distinctly say that you do not
invite discussion of your respective
claims and positions But we as
sumo that statement of what is go
ing on in the coal regions will not he
irrelevant. We represent the owners
of coal mines In Pennsylvania. There
are from fifteen to twenty thousand
men at work mining and preparing
coal. They are abused. assaulted, in
jured and maltreated by the United
Mine Workers. They can only work
under the protection Of armed guards.
Thousands OF other workmen are de-
TERED from working by the intimida-
tions, violence and crimes inaugural
ed by the United Mine Workers. over
whom John Mitchell. whom you in.
yited to meet you. Is chief.
II need not picture the daily crimes
committed by the members of this
organization. The domestic tran
guilty which every constitution de-
clares Is the chief object Of govern
ment does not exist in the coal re-
gions. There Is a terrible reign of
lawlessness and crime there. Only
the lives and property of the mem
bers Of the secret oath-bound order
which declared that the locals should
have full power to suspend opera
lions at collieries' until the non-union
men Joined their order, are safe.
Every emort Is made to prevent the
mining of coal. and when mined. Mr..
Mitchell's men dynamite bridges and
tracks. mob trainmcn. and by all man
ner Of violence try to prevent its ship
ment to relieve the public.
"The constitution OF Pennsylvania
guarantees protection to life and
property. In express terms 1t de-
clares the right of acquiring, pos
sessing. and defending property to be
inalienable' When riot and anarchy
is too great to be appeased by the
civil power. the governor OF Pennsyl-
vania is bound to call out the state
troops to suppress It. lie must fear
iessly use the whole power OF the
state to protect life and property and
to establish peace-not An armed
peace. but the peace Of the law which
protects every man at work and going