The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-10-14

Comments of the Press on Results
of the Conference at the White
House Last Friday

fOllOWlnS are extracts from the edi-
torials Of leading Southern
on h coal strike situation and the
conference with the president:
And now the point is, who and what
powers are to grapple with the intol-
cradle and menacing conditions n n
them, for they must be ended? Presi-
dent Roosevelt has admitted that he has
no power, and that there is no power
in the federal government to do this.
He has done all he could without vio-
1at1ng the constitution and setting a
precedent, the consequences of which
might prove fatal to our institutions.
While, as u readers know, The Dis
patch and president Roosevelt are po-
litlcally as wide apart as the poles, and
While there is little in his general career
which we can commend, we would say
that he deserves no less credit for re-
SiSting opportunities to interfere by
using federal owe than he does for
having tried to adjust the trouble by
using his good offices personally. But
this is apart. To come back to the point
we have just stated, who and what
powers are to grapple with the con-
ditions and end them? The proper man
and proper power are Governor Stone.
of Pennsylvania, and that state. This
we have maintained from the first, and
III SNSlOpIIiSIllS Ol rT1udy OUT IOTCIy
the contention. The American public
look to the one to put in motion, and
that without further ado, the machin-
cry of the other, and bring about the
desired contamination Immediately.
And it is safe to say that whatever
course may be resorted to under the au-
thority of Pennsylvania, no matter how
summary, will be justified by the
masses. 1t is the duty of Governor
Stone to act vigorously. The position
taken by the coal operators in replying
to the president when contraSted with
the attitude of Mitchell, has increased
popular sympathv- with the miners;
but. we have frequently said, the issue
has become one between the great
American public n their interests,
and the two immediate parties to the
strike, and that is the supreme and
vital question with which Pennsyl-
vania and her HE executive nave to
do, to the exclusion of all others, if
necessary.-Richmond Dispath.
The operators have forced the issue
and have taken a great responsibility
upon themselves. They turned a deaf
ear to the presidents appeal. They
turned a deaf ear to the cry of the
people for coal. They declined to sub
NIT to arbitration, although they knew
that through that honorable means the
strike would Soon be settled and min
ing operations resumed. They chose
rather to fight it out, no matter how
the country may suffer. They declare
that they can give the people the coal
if they can get the protection they de-
mand. Let them have it. Let the gov
ernor Of Pennsylvania give them all
the protection they need, and if he
cannot give it, let him call upon he
president OF the United States. But
the operators must then mine coal n
supply the demand. II they fail. the
people will have another reckoning with
them and next time they will take no
denial Richmond Times
If the sympathies of the public had
not been already with the coal miners
Of the anthracite region they would
be driven in that direction by the state
ment of President Baer at the confer
ence of the conflicting organizations
with the president yesterday. A more
striking contrast than that presented
by the attitudes of the coal operators
and the coal miners has never been
seer In a disagreement between capital
and labor. President Baer practically
takes the position that the strike a
only be settled on the terms dictated
by him and his associates; President
Mitchell propose to leave the settle
ment of the issues in dispute to q
tribunal to be appointed by the presi-
dent and agrees to accept the presi-
dents award upon all or any of the
questions involved" President Baer
misrepresents ~outrageously the position