Waterbury Democrat., 1902-10-04

mine workers whom we have the hon or to represent, we have after most careful consideration and with the hope of relieving the situation and averting the sufferings and hardships which would inevitably follow in the wake of a coal famine decided to pro- | pose resumption of coal mining upon the lines hereinafter suggested.
 Before doing so, Mir. President, we desire to say that we are not prompted to suggest this course because of any doubts of the justice of our claims. Tn deference to your wishes we are prompted by no fear on our part of our ability to continue the contest to suc- cessful issue. Thanks to the generous assistance rendered us by our fellow workers in this and other lands, thanks to a justice loving American public, whose sympathies are always on the side of right, we are able to continue the struggle indefinitely. But, conf dent of our abilit. 10 demonstrate to any impartial tri nal the equity of our demands for Ter wages and i'm proved environments we propose that the issues eliminating in this strike shall be referred to you and tribunal of your own selection and agree to ac- cept your award upon all or any of the questions involved. If you will accept this responsibility and the representa- tives of the coal operators will signify their willingness to have your decision incorporated in an agreement for not less than one year or more than five l years, as may be mutually determined, between themselves and the anthracite ! mine workers and will pay the scale of wages which you and the tribunal ap- pointed by you shall award, we will immediately call a convention and rec ommend resumption of work upon the understanding that the wages which shall be paid are to go into ef- feet from the day upon which work is resumed'' ty
 THOMAS STATEMENT.
 The statement of Mr. Thomas, presi- dent of the Erie railway, was as fol- lows:
 s'No one can more fully realize the gravity of the situation or the grave responsibilities resting upon them than the men who fer months have been seeking to protect the property under
 
 loyal employees from the attacks of misguided men melted by people for reign to the state and to. the industry we are seeking to defend.
 We are, doing sall in our power and ] with increasing success to mine coal Mr. Mitchell and his lieutenants are doing all in their power to prevent it. We ask that such efforts cease, or, failing, that the state of Pennsylvania and, if she is unable, the powers of the I United States shall be exerted to af- ford full protection to employees not only while at work, but to and from their homes, as we'll as to their fa1Ai- ! lies, and that the reign of terror, riots, intimidation and murder which for months has prevailed in the anthracite region shall cease.
 "A record of Twenty killed, over for ty injured and with constant and in- creasing destruction of dwellings, works, machinery and railroad by mob violence, with no proper enforcement of the law or order by the proper off, cials, is not the time to act on Mir. MitchelFs suggestion of this morning to arbitrate with men not in our em- ploy. There are over 17,OOO loyal ern- ployees at work in and around the an thracite mines, and since this confer ence has been called open threats are current in that region that such men will neither be permitted to work nor live in that country.
 we are contending for the right of : the American citizens to work, without regard to. creed, nationality or associa- tion. To seek to prevent this is 8 crime, and we cannot by implication sanction such course. We ask the enforcement of law, and order in the state, that we be permitted to deal with our employees free from foreign interference, convinced that under such conditions we can fully perform our full duty to the public, our owners and to our employees.
 q fully concur in the suggestion of MT. Baer, which can be pursued in case of failure to agree with our en- ployees, but in many years of such dealing it has never yet been requisite to call in assistance to fairly and sat- isfactorily deal with our own men,"
 TRUESDALE'S STATEMENT.
 The statement of Mr. TruesdaIe, president of the Delaware, Lackawan- na and Western Railroad company, was along the lines of that of President Baer Tn part he said:
 '.Mr President, representing the in- terests of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad company, its board of managers and its stockhold- CTS, permit me to say that, realizing fully the gravity of the situation as stated by you ;s.sd approaching the burden of responsibility which this sit uation imposes upon us, we feel that our duty at this time, having in mind all existing conditions, is so plain and straightforward that we cannot posst- bly, mistake it. As citizens of this coun- try, as trustees of vast and important interests committed to our care by the thousands and tens of thousands of se- curity holders whose savings or lega- cieS are invested in these properties, as men who have committed to them the interests of thousands of as loyal, true, faithful citizens and employees as ever marched to victory in support of right and freedom under the flag of this or