Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-10-08
NO. COAL AGREEMENT.

reSentatlVeS OF the operators an0
miners took place last Friday in
Washington. It's object was tC
urge the contending factions tC
cease the strike in the interests OF
the public welfare, the miners
through the president of their
union having expressed a willing
ness to submit differences to arbi-
tration by tribunal selected by
the President of the United States.
There were present at the con-
ference President Roosevelt, Attor-
ney-General Knox, Secretary Cor
telyou, Carroll D. Wright, Com
missioner of Labor PresidentBaer,
of the Reading; Thomas of the
Erie; Truesdale of the Delaware,
Lackawanna d Western, and Fow-
Ter Of the Ontario d Western rail-
roads; Daniel Wilcox, vice-presi-
dent of the Delaware d Hudson
railroad, representing President
ELEPHANT; John Markle, represent
ing the independent coal operators,
and President Mitchell of the Mine
Workers Union, with Thos. Duffy,
I. ID. Nichols and John FaLey,
president of Districts Nos. 7, 1 and
8 of the miners union, being the
districts where anthracite is mined.
President Roosevelt upon the as
sembling of the body made a state
ment of the situation. He said
81 wish to call your attention
to the fact that there are three
parties affected by the situation in
the anthracite trade: The opera
tors, the miners and the general
public. l speak for neither the
operators nor the miners, but for
the general public. The questions
at issue which led to the situation
affect Immediately the parties con-
cerned-the operators and the
miners; but the situation itself
vitality affects the public.
GAS long as there seemed to be
a reasonable hope that these mat
tiers could be adjusted between the
parties it did not seem proper to
me to intervene in any way. |
disclaim any right or duty to in
in this way upon legal
grounds or upon any official relation
that bear to the situation but the
urgency and the terrible nature of
he catastrophe impending over a
arge portion of our people in the
shape of winter fuel famine impel
ne, after much anxious thought, to
believe that my duty requires me
o use whatever influence l per-
Onally can to bring to end
ituation which has become literally
ntolerable. l wish to emphasize
he character of the situation and
o say that its gravity is such that
am constrained urgently to insist
hat each one of you realize the
leavy burden of responsibility
pom him.
eve are upon the threshold of
winter, with an already existing
GAL famine, the future terrors of
yhich we can hardly appreciate.
'he evil possibilities are so far
eaching, so appalling, that they
eem to ME that you are not only
Justified in sinking but required to
ink, for the time being, your
enacity as to your respective
laims in the matter at issue be-
ween you. In my Judgment the
ituation imperatively requires {
nat you meet upon the common {
lane of the necessities of the
ublic. With all the earnestness l
mere is in me | ask that there be
n immediate resumption of f
perations in the coal mines in {
ome such way as will, without a s
avs unnecessary delay, meet the S
rying needs of the people. !
81 do not invite a discussion of i
our respective claims and posi- /
ons, l appeal to your patriotism, c
, the spirit that sinks personal f
)nsideration and makes individual
,crifices for the general good"
President John Mitchell of the 1
liners Union, who was attended Il
y three dis trict presidents of the I
nthracite coal region, responded Il
/ way that pleased the Presi P
emit greatly. He said what the v
resident had said impressed him v
it'll the gravity of the situation, Il
nd that the people he represented I
ere not responsible for this terri U
lie state of affairs. He was will /
e to meet the gentleman repre- y
,nting the coal operators and try 4
nd adjust the differences; that he .
as was willing that the President q
lould name a tribunal who shall Il
etermine the issues that have d
suited in the strike, and if II
he gentlemen representing the OPP z
'ators will accept the award or de-
sion of such a tribunal the mi p
srs' decision will willingly accept p
, even if it is against their
aims.
Tho nnaro orc , N a =, n \, @ W ~ a III