Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-10-11
DISAPPOINTMENT
over CONFERENCE
White House Meeting to Settle
Coal Strike Was With
out Result.
BOTH SIDES STAND FIRM
Propositions Made Only to Be Re-
jected-oPerators, Headed by Baer,
Refuse to Have Anything to
Do With Mitchell.

Washington, Oct. 6.-The great coal
conference came to an end late Fri
day afternoon with failure 20 reach an
agreement. Apparently the rock upon
which the conference split was recog-
milton OF the miners union. Tn presi-
dent urged the contending parties to
cease the strike in the interest of public
welfare; the miners, through the presi-
dent of their union, expressed willing
ness to submit the differences to the
arbitration of a tribunal to be named
by the president, and enter into an
agreement to abide by the terms fixed
by arbitration for a period Of one to
five years. The employers, through the
presidents of the coal railroads and
coal companies and a leading independ-
ent mine operator, squarely refused ar
bitration, and denounced the miners
organization as q lawlCss, anarchi3uc
body with which they could and would
have no dealings; demanded federal
troops to insure complete protection TO
workers and their families. and our
proceedings against the miners union,
and offered, If the men returned to
work, to submit grievances at individ-
ual collieries to the decision of judges
OF the court Of common pleas for the
district of Pennsylvania in which the
Colliery may be located. There the
matter closed.
Struggle Will Continue.
Last night both miners ana operators
were still in the city, but today they
return to their several localities, each
saying at a late hour that the struggle
will continue.
A Day in Our History.
1t was a remarkable chapter in the
economic history of our country writ
ten yesterday. For the first time a
president of the republic had interviewed
directly between the forces Of capital
and labor in an effort to avert what he
himself regarded as q great national
calamity. The result was TO bring the
principals face to face with the whole
country, eagerly intent and watchful
OF their doings.
Technically. the issues between the
two great forces stand as they did be-
fore the president summoned the repre-
sentatiVes to the capital, and, forget
ting his own acute personal suffering,
besought them, for love Of country ana
out of pity for the countless throng Of
suffering Door, to adjust their differ
ences and work together in peace for
the common veal.
Nothing Will Result.
What, if anything, will result from
the conference is for the Indefinite flu
ture. Yesterday the views OF the CON
tenders In the great industrial strug-
gle were so extreme II wide apart
that there was no middle ground pos
sible and so the conference ended with
out any agreement for it's continuation.
What course the administration will
take next no II is prepared to say.
One Of the operators, as he left the
White House, was asked regarding
this, and replied:
IF anyone knows what the president
will do next, that is more than 1
know"
1t was announced at the white House
last night that the president had 40
comment TO make on the conference.
At the conclusion of the statements
yesterday there was considerable gem
eral conversation The president called
attention TO that part of Mi. Baer's
statement in which the latter said the
operators We're willing to submit their
grievances to the courts Of Pennsylva-
mia. The president asked Mr.. Mitchell
If he, not as president Of the union, but
as an individual, would agree to that.
Mitchell promptly replied he would not.
Mitchell Issues Statement.
Mr.. Mitchell issued a statement con-
corning the proceedings of the confer
ence. He says the president expressed
the hope lhat there would be no law
lessness in the coal fields, and the rep
resentatives of the miners assured him
that every effort would be eXcrted to
maintain peace.
The suggestion was made in admin
istratiOn circles, though not as coming
from the president, that the result had
been TO arouse ana concentrate public
sentiment. one Of the presidents ad-
ViSers who was seen intimatnI that
some consideration had been given be-
fore the conference to the question of
the future course of the administration
in the event either party refused to do
anything toward a settlement. He In
timated that there was a possibility
the interstate commerce commission
might be able to take some steDs with
respect to carrying charges on the an
thraCite Goa roads. Still, public senti-
mcnt, he added, was the chief resOurce
Of the president as to both parties TO
the strike.