Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-10-03
STACKING IN POWER
Federal Government Unable to In
terfere in Coal Strike.
AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE HELD.
President and His Advisors Reach
Conclusion That There Is No Legal
Warrant for Interference
by Governments.

certain what, if anything, could be
done by federal authority to settle the
coal strike. The result was . conclu-
sion that there was no law warranting
federal interference in the strike. AT
the temporary white house confer
snce was held with three cabinet Off
GERS, Attorney General Knox, Secre-
tary Moody and Postmaster General
Payne. Gov Crane, of Massachusetts,,
also was present. These gentlemen
met with President Roosevelt first. and
nfter the subject had been considered
for some time, they adjourned to an
other room and conferred together for
an hour. They all returned later in
the day and held another conference
with the president. and the strike stu
alton was discussed further.
President Deeply Concerned.
President Roosevelt is deeply con-
cerned over the situation. The APP
proach of winter, with a coal famine i'm
minent, and the distress and suffering |
that must ensue unless coal becomes
available, presents n situation which
he thinks should receive the attention
of the administration if there is any
thing that can be done by the govern
ment. Many appeals have been made
20 him and many suggestions received
by him, and it was with view to as
certaining what power the federal au-
thority could evoke that caused the
conference to be held. During the con-
Ference every phase OF the situation
was discussed.
Can't Interfere.
The general opinion OF the advisers
of the president was that the situation
did not present case in which there
could be federal interference by any
warrant of law. There has been no in
reference with federal authority in
the mining region, either by stoppage
OF the mails or resistance of the Uni
ted States court process. twas point
ed out that there was no occasion for
the use of the federal troops, as Gov.
Stone of Pennsylvania had not called
on the government for assistance, nor
had he even exhausted the resources
of the state by calling out the full
strength of the state militia.
No Right to Appoint Receivers.
The question of the right to seek ap-
pointment of receivers for the mines in
order that they might be operated, was
discussed, but neither in the constitu-
tion nor in any known law could any
legal warrant be found for such action,
though the discussion on such lines
even went so far as the consideration
Of how the properties could be relin-
auished and control surrendered after
the object of supplying coal had been
accepted, assuming the federal govern
ment could intervene through receiv-
ers.
Power Is Lacking.
The tenor of the whole discussion
was to the effect that there was
hack OF power in the federal admin
Sstration to take any action at the
present stage of the strike, although
the seriousness of the coal famine
now and the much greater evils soon
TO follow were considered at length
ana with wish to discover some
method of ending the industrial dead
lock.
During the day advices were re-
ceived that the strike might be set
filed by the operators and the min
prs themselves, and it was suggested
That hasty interference of any kind
by the federal government might
prevent the contamination of the
plans for strike settlement, if any
such were maturing.
VIII Adopt Any Legal Method.
While recognizing the futility of
efforts to end the strike that could
accomplish nothing, it was stated
that the president was anxious that
n settlement should be brought
about at the earliest possible mo-
ment, and that if the attorney gen
eral or any other member vt the
cabinet could devise a method by
which the president could proceed.
that he would not hesitate to adopt
1T unless meanwhile assurances of a
settlement were received. After the
meeting Gov. Crane left Washington
Tor Massachusetts.
The conference will be resumed
to-day, at which time Secretary
Root, who spent Tuesday in New
York, will be present. 1t is under
stood that the visit Of Secretary
Root to New York was for the pur-
pose of consulting prominent bust
ness men on the subject.
Several Cities Respond.
Detroit, Mich, Oct. Up to noon
Tuesday the mayors of nine cities had
telegraphed to Mayor w. C. Maybury
favorable answers to the messages
sent them Monday night asking that
delegation of ten citizens be sent
from their cities to the proposed ma
tional conference on the coal strike
to be held here October 8.
Gov. Bliss Acts.
Lansing, Mich, Oct. 1.-Goy. Bliss
has appointed 20 delegates to repre-,
sent Michigan at the interstate con-
ference called to meet in Detroit on
Thursday, October o, to devise ways
and means for obtaining supply of
anthracite coal. The governor saws
that the people face serious crisis.
and that, without stopping to consid-
er the merits of the controversy be-
tween the operators and the miners.
1t is advisable that means be devised
whereby the country can have the
needed supply of hard coal. The gov
ernor says this should be accom-
piished through arbitration, if posi-
BILE He homes to see the contend