Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-10-10

conference between the President and
representatives OF the operators and
miners came to an end at the tcmpor-
ary White House. facing Lafayette
square. at 4:55 o'clock this afternoon.
with failure to reach an agreement.
And apparently the rock upon which
the conference split was the recognition
OF the miners union.
The President had urged the contend
Ing parties to cease strife In the inter-
ests OF the public welfare.
The miners. through the president OF
their union. had expressed Wiling
ness to submit the differences to an ar
bitration tribunal to be named by the
President and to enter into an agree
ment to abide by terms fixed by the ar
bitration for period OF from one To
nve years.
The Immediate parties to the strus-
gle say they will continu. ns hereto
fore. What course the administration
will take next no one is prepared 10
say. One OF the operators. as he left
the White House. was asked regarding
this and replied:
III anyone knows what the President
will do next that IL NOR. than know"
Fourteen men. including III. Prasi-
dent. were In the second-story front
room at tho temporary Whit. House
during the momcntous conference.
President Mitchell and three OF his dis
trict leaders represented the miners.
and Ave railroad men and one tnhcpcn-
dent operator the employers With the
President were Attorney General Knox.
Commissioner Of Labor Wright and Sec
rotary cortrlyou. All the cabinet save
the attorney general kept nloof duTin.
l...s t...ss h.s
meetings and aftcr~aEd several OF the
.prcsid.n,'s advisers called upon him
and talked over III. situation.
The employer. through tho PEcn!-
dents OF tho railroad companies and
prmoIn-nt independent mine operator.
had sluarciy refused arbitration: had
denounced th. min-rA' labor orEnnitn-
iion as n iawl-aa and anarrhistic body.
with whita, they could and would have
no dealings: had demanded federal
troops to insure eotnplci. protection To
workers and their families In tho min
ins region and court proceedings
against tho miners union. and had Of
if-rc,i. IL tho m-n returned to work. To
submit grievances at Individual col
ilcr!cs To tho decision os the Judges of
tho court Of common pleas for district
OF Pennsylvania. In which the colli-ry
was located
/ There tho matter closed.
Tonight both the miners and the
operators arc still Ia tho city. bu, to-
morrow they viIl return io their SOW
efai localities. each saying al a ia'c
hour tha, the s,sagsi. will continue.
At tho Temporary White House to-
night tho following ofleiai statement
Was given out:
Tho conference opened at II o'clock.
ys1E las IL.
Of the minets were presented to the
P,saidsn'.
Tho prcsiicn, al the outset cS-
pressed his kraTty thanks for their at
tendance and stated tina, owing to hla
peculiar relations to tho situation he
felt that he should make To them a
very careful statement OF his position
aad Of his in,oatioas In aakin. them
TO meet.
The Presidents statement, fnlio~H:
4 wish To call your attention to tho
fact that there are three parties Affect
cd by tho situation In the anthracite
tfadc-tho operators. the miners and
the general public. I speak for neither
tho operators nor tho miners. but for
the general public. Tho question at is-
sue which led to the situation affect
Immediately tn. parties concerned
the operators and the miners: hut the
situation itself sitaiy affects the public.
AS long as there seemed to br a
reasonable hope that these matters
could br adjusted between the parties.
IL did not seem proper for the to inter
ycac In any way. dIsciaim any risht
or duty to intervene in this way upon
legal grounds. or upon any official re-
lation that bear To the situation. but
the urgency and the terrible nature OF
gsgs4 n
large portion Of our people In the
SHAPE Of a winter fuel famine impci
me. after much anxious thought. to be-
lievc that my duty requires mo TO usn
~hatsyer influence ! personally can
bring to effect settlement Of the situ-
alton which has become literally intol-
, erabic.
Il wish to emphasize tho character
Of the situation and to say that i,s
gravity IL such that am constrained
urgently to insist that each one OF you
realize the heavy burden Of response
bility upon you. We are upon the
threshold Of winter. with an already
/ existing coal famine. the future terrurs
I Of which NC can hardly yet appreciate.
The evil possibilities are so far reach
Ing. so appalling that IL seems to me
l. that you arc not only justified in
sinking. hut required to sink for the
time being any tcnaci,y as to your re-
spec,iyc claims In the matter at issue
between you.
'In my Judgment the situation i'm
' peratiyeiy requires that you meet upon
| the common plane OF the necessities OF
the public With all the earnestness
that there il In me. ask that there
be an immediate resumption OF opera
tiuns In the coal mines in some such
way as will withou; a days unneces-
sary delay meet the crying needs of
the people.
Il do not invite discussion of your
respective claims and positions. APP
peal to your patriotism. to the spirit
| that sinks personal considerations and
makes individual sacrifices for the
general good"
Upon the completion of the Presf-
dents remarks, MIR. Mitchell made a
statement as follows:
'Mr. President. I am much i'm
pressed with what you say. I am
much impressed with the gravity of
the situation. We feel that we are not
responsible for this terrible state of af-
| fairs. We are willing to meet the gen.
tlemen representing the coal operators
to try and adjust our differences
\