The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-10-23
Coal Strike Will be Settled.

" ClOCh ludU a OOulihOi S5AOUho Va
agreement had been reached.
The president has named commits
sion of six persons to settle the strike.
The official statement will announce
the names of the strike settlement
commission. 1t is believed the sixth
representative will be chosen from the
ranks of labor. The president will
urge immediate resumption of work
at the mines. and the administration
believes the request will be followed
at once,
The appointment of a commission
by the president means that both
sides haye agreed on terms of arbitra-
ton. 1t means that the miners will
be ordered back to work tomorrow.
1t means an early end of the coal
famine that has been threatening
calamity to the nation.
1t means continuation of industry
in sections of the country whose mills
and factories have been on the verge
Of shutting down.
The end of the strike came slowly.
1t followed Mr.. Mitchell's visit to the
temporary white house yesterday, 1t
was accomplished after much tele-
graphing and telphoning and confer
ences between the president, Secre-
tary Root, Commissioner of Labor
Wright, Commissioner General of I'm
migration Sargent and George W..
Perkins of the firm of Pierpont Nor
gan & Co.
Mr.. Perkins came to Washington
on a late train. He proceeded direct
from the railway station to the temp
orary white house, where he was ad-
mitted to the PRESIDENT Office. He
was invested with plenary discretion
to accept on behalf Of the operators
any proposition that did not too
radically modify the original PROPOSE
tion OF the operators.
A secondary proposition submitted
by Mr.. Mitchell in writing which was
in possession of Mr.. Sargent was then
brought forward. 1t provided for
the appointment Of an additional
member of the commission who would
be regarded as a representative of the
mine workers. Mr.. Perkins prompt
ly accepted this. He did so on his
own election and subsequently his
action was Endorsed by Mr.. Morgan.
1t was only necessary after that to
decide who should constitute the COM
mission and the president proceeded
without a moments loss of time to
select the men who are to adjudicate
the issues between the operators and
miners.
Mr.. Mitchell arrived in Washing
ton shortly before noon and reached
the white house about II o CLOCK. The
president was waiting for him. The
miners chief stated his own position
without using superfiuous word. He
assured the president that he believed
he was also stating the position of a
majority of the strike leaders in OBJ
jecting to the proposition OF the op-
orators not only because it In meas
ure tied the hands of the president,
but because it did not ia all its aspects
guarantee an absolutely fair and i'm
partial commission. Mr.. Mitchell as
sured the president of his profound re-
spect for and confidence in him. He
said that his own feelings were shared
by every miner in the anthracite dis.
trict. They were ready to man to
rely absolutely on the fairness and
justice of the presidents selections if
he were left to choose men regardless
of their present or past connections.
Mr.. Mitchell charged that the op-
orators in drafting their proposition
had done SO with a view to providing
for EXAMINATIONS instead of leaving the
president free to select whonlSoever be
deemed to be qualified to adjudicate
intelligently the issues between the
miners and operators.
The president assured Mr.. Mitchell
that he was personally in sympathy
with the miners objection to the op-
orators proposition; that he had per.
sonally expressed his own objection te
1t to Mr.. Morgan and was at first in.
disposed to accept the responsibility
which the operators sought to place
upon him. He assured Mr.. Mitchell,
moreover, that he did not change his
mind until Mr.. Morgan maie it clear
that rejection of the proposition
would mean indefinite delay Of nego-
tiations for settling the strike, be.
cause Of the necessity of referring the
whole subject back to large number
Of shareholders Of the railroad and
coal corporations concerned. That
would take time-more time than the
president believed ought to be con.
sumed. He felt, inasmuch as the op.