Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-07

Just now, it is more important to teach
the ignorant element dwelling among
us, mlsled and used as tools by citizens
OF other states, that at whatever cost
and inconvenience to the public, Penn
sylvania will use the whole power of
the government to protect not only the
man who wants to work, but his wife
and children, while he is at work. and
to punish every man who by instiga--
ton or by overt acts attempts to de-
prive any man of his liberty to work
Under these conditions we decline to
accept Mitchell's considerate offer to
let our men work on the terms 4he
Names
He had no right to come from ILL.,
nois to dictate the terms of acceptance
on which anarchy and crime shah
his people from killing, manning and
abusing Pennsylvania citizens and
from destroying property. He must
stop it because it is unlawful, and not
because of any bargain with us.
I'VE will add to our offer to continue
the wages existing at the time of the
strike and take up at each colliery and
adjust any grievances, this further
condition, that if the employers and
employees at any particular colliery
cannot reach satisfactory adjustment
of any alleged grievances, it shall be
referred to the judges of the courts of
common pleas of the district in which
the colliery is situated, for final deter
mination"
This was the plan of the coal presi,
dents. The President never considered
it seriously. He knew it offered no
solution of the problem, and he sus--
pected that it had not been offered in
good faith. He discouraged the rail-.
way presidents in their efforts to
have it discussed and hoped that it
would not be offered at ALL
President Mitchell, by getting in
first at the conference. swept the
ground out from under the feet of his
opponents. A proposal to arbitrate on
q great, broad, practical basis COM
pletely eclipsed the one-sided and un--
fair offer of the corporation people
which appeared at the second session.
AT the conclusion of the conference
which continued for two hours, the
President said farewell word to each
of his guests in turn. But he did not
ask them to return for another sitting.
From the moment in which the coal
presidents took the position that they
would have nothing to do with John
Mitchell of the miners union, Mr..
Roosevelt knew the case was hope
less one and that moral suasion was
failure.
Secretary Cortelyou had Mr. Barnes
of the White House staff present dur
i'm h0 oil toll
graphically everything that was. said,
and last night Mr.. Cortelyou gave
full report to the press-barring some
of the personalities. President Roose-
welt had asked that this be done. He
wanted nothing held back. He took
the ground that this was the peoples
affair, and that the people were en-
titled to full information as to what
occurred. He said the people could
read the statements of the contending
parties and make up their own iudg-
ment as to which was in the right.
An Incident.
After abusing John Mitchell, presi-
dent of the United Mine Workers of
America, and succeeding in getting no
retort from him, the coal corporation
presidents came near getting what
they evidently desired with the Presi-
dent of the United States. More than
once when the managers read state
ments concerning what President
Roosevelt was alleged at some time or
other to have said, the President, SIT
ting at the head of the cabinet table
in his rolling chair. clad in pajamas,
and his sore leg held high on pillows,
interposed with remonstrance of char
acteristic vigor.
That is not true: never said that, :"
declared the President on one occa-
sion,
But we SO understood you. replied
the railway man.
- What Iactilallu did s.o,r Loft NJ, r,1,rl