The Savannah morning news., 1902-10-10
MlTCHELL'S REPLY.
HE Answers i'm Firm and Dignified
Manner the Presidents Messnxe

ne Answers in Firm and Dignified
Manner the Presidents Message,
Washington, Oct. 9-President
Mitchell of the United Mine Workers
has refused to comply with the appeal
of President Roosevelt to call the
strike off. His letter to the President
which was made public at the White
House to-day, says the responsibility
for the continuation of the strike
should be placed upon those who have
refused arbitration. President Mitch
ellis letter follows:
'Wilkesbarre, Pa. Oct. 9.-Hon.
Theodore Roosevelt, President of the
United States. Washington. Dear
Sir-Hon. Carroll d. Wright has no
doubt reported to you the delivery
of your message to me last Monday
and my statement to him that l should
take your suggestion under advise
ment, although 1 did not look upon it
with favor.
Since that time have consulted
with oul district presidents, who con-
cur fully in my views. We desire TO
assure you again that we feel keenIv
the responsibility of our position and
the gravity of The situation, ard 1t
would give us great pleasure to take
any action which would bring this coal
strike to an end in a manner that
would safeguard the interests of our
constituents.
I'm proposing that there be an i'm
mediate resumption of coal uininS
upon conditions we suggested in the
conference at the White House we be-
lieved that we had some more than
half way and had met your wishes.
1T is unnecessary in this letter 10
refer to the malicious assault made
upon uS in the response of the coal
operators. We feel confident that you
must have been impressed with the
fairness of our proposition and the in
sincerity of those who }llaligned US.
Having in mind our experience with
the coal operators in the past, we have
no reason to feel any degree of conf
dence in their willingness to do us JUS
tice in the future, and inasmuch as
they have refused to accept the de-
cision of a tribunal selected by you
and inasmuch as there is no law
through which you could enforce the
findings of the commission you sug-
gest, we respectfully decline to adj
wise our people to return to work sim
ply upon the hope that the coal opera
tors might be induced or forced to
comply with the recommended tons of
your commission.
"As stated above, we believe we went
rnCre than half way in our proposal at
Washington, and we do not feel that
we should be asked to make further
sacrifice.
I'VE appreciate your solicitude for
the people of our country, who are now
and will be subjected to great suffer-
ing and inconvenience by a prolonga-
ton of the coal strike and we feel that
the onus of this terrible state of affairs
should be placed upon the side which
has refused to defer to fair and impair
tial investigation. 1 am, respectfully,
John Mitchell,
president u NJ. w. of A."
No comment was made concerning
the letter of Mr.. Mitchell by officials at
the White House to-day, although it
can be said that the President has not
exhausted all efforts in bringing about
an end to the strike. Nothing can be
learned as to the future intentions of
the President in this matter, and it is
stated that the time has not yet come
to disclose the purpose Of the admin
istration.