The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-02
"White HouSe

white House.
washington. Oct. 1, 1902
George F. Baer, President Reading
Railway Syster. Philadelphia, Pa.
'W. II. Truesdale, President Delaware.
Lac<awanna and Western Railroad
Company, 26 Exchange Place. New
York.
&c. B. Thomas, Chairman of the Board
Erie Railroad Company, 21 Cortland
Street. New York.
Thomas p. Fowler, President New
York, Ontario and Western Railroad,
sc Beaver Street. New York.
"R NJ. Olyphant, President Delaware
and Hudson Company. New York.
John Markle. 527 West 34th Street, New
York
Il should greatly like to see you on
Friday next. October 3rd, at IL o'clock
a. m. here in Washington, in regard of
the failure of the coal supply, which has
become a matter of vital concern to the
whole nation. / have sent a similar dis
patch to Mr.. John Mitchell, President
of the United Mine Workers of America
(Signed)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
"John Mitchell, President United Mine
Workers. of America, Willlesbarre,
Pa: (%i
''I should greatly like to see you on
Friday next. October 3rd, at II o'clock
a. m. here in Washington in regard to
the failure of the coal supply, which
has become a matter of vital concern to
the whole nation. / have sent a similar
dispatch to the presidents of the anthra
cite coal companies.
(Signed)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
At the meeting Friday the line of ap-
proach toward the settlement will be an
appeal by President Roosevelt to both
sides to come together as men and not
to allow false pride or a feeling of
obstinacy to stand in the way of The
termination of the great strike which
is fraught with misery to thousands OF
people. 1t is stated by one of the
Presidents advisers that beyond this
the President cannot go. he has no pow
ers OF compulsion to bring into play
against either side and he must rely
upon his persuasive abilities and his
appeals to their sense of humanity if
anything tangible is to be accomplished.
The President intends to lay before
his hearers the situation, it appears to
him with all the prospective horrors that
will follow a fuel famine and will urge
them in the interests of humanity to
open the mines and supply the demand
for coal. The President has taken this
action because he feels it to be his duty
to do so as the executive head of na-
tion. threatened with greatperil. The
President has in a sense, taken upon
himself the burdens of an arbitrator in
this great dispute between capital and
labor and though the arbitration is not
compulsory and is not even known under
the name of arbitration in any of the
invitations issued today. it is the hope
OF the President and his advisers that
it will be effective. Just how one
can say, though there is the suggestion
of temporary arrangement which will
tide over the cold weather. 1t is stated
by a member of the Cabinet that there
is now no political purpose in this ef-
fort. but that the President is moved
TO exert his influence solely in the in
terests of the people.
In the other attempts. ii is said, the
operators felt that politics was the most
prominent motive. IN this connection
the story is revived of the settlement OF
the strike in 1900. The operators claim
that when that strike was settled uii
der stress CT political exgency, the