Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-22
COAL STRIKE CALLED OFF
Miners Formally Accept Arbitration Plan
and Order Wsrk Resumed.
TALK MUCH, BUT VOTE UNANIMOUSLY
Arbitrators VIII Meet First at wash
nEtOn and Then Take Evidence
I'm Coal Field and Else
where.
TALK MUCH, BUT VOTE UNANIMOUSLY

where.
Continued from First Page.)
Theodore Roosevelt, president of the United
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, Oct. 21-Hon.
Theodore Roosevelt, Washington, ID. c.:
Dear Strive, the representatives of the
employees of the various coal companies en-
gagged IN. operating mines In the anthracite
s sSss hbglt1di having Ra under eohisi Idhg GhSeg yopr
telegram of October Is, 1902, addressed to
John Mitchell, president of the United Mine
Workers Of America, which reads as fol-
II have appointed as commissioner Brig
adler General John H.. Wilson, T.. w. Par
Thomas II. Watkins. Bishop j. L. Spalding,
with Carroll D.. Wright as recorder.
operators and I now earnestly ask and urge
that the miners likewise accept this COM
mission. 1t is a matter of vital concern to
great cities. who are least well Off, that the
mining of coal should be resumed without a
moments unnecessary delay"
We have decided to accept the proposition
therein embodied and submit all questions
at issue between the operators and mine
workers of the anthracite coal region for
adjustment to the commission which you
have named.
In pursuance of that decision we shall ie-
port for work on Thursday morning, octo-
Der %, in the positions and working places
occupied by us prior to the Inauguration of
the strike.
we have authorized John Mitchell, presl-
dent of the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea, with such assistance as he may select,
to represent us In all hearings before the
commission.
CSigned) JOHN MITCHELL,
Chairman of Convention.
w. 3. WILSON,
Secretary of Convention.
The debate on reinstatement was inn
mediately resume One delegate strenu-
ously objected to the adoption Of the resolu-
tions because no provision is made In them
for the men who may fail to get work. The
other side Of the question was taken up by
q delegate from the Panther Creek valley.
He said:
Let us go back; we will all get work in
the end"
There were cries for the previous ques-
tion, but President Mitchell stopped this
by announcing that every man would be
given a chance to speak and that he
would not entertain a motion to vote so
long as there was one delegate in the
hall who wanted to be heard.
Wilson RidicuIes Opposition.
w. 3. Wilson, national secretary OF the
convention, voiced the sentiment Of Presi-
dent Mitchell and the national organization
in a strong speech. He said in part:
1t seems to me a rather peculiar position
for any of the delegates In this convention
to take that after they have rome through
a struggle of five months and have secured
the terms which they laid down when the
strike began.
this proposition the miners said: I'VE will
submit the entire question to arbitration
and abide by the decision of the arbitra-
During the time the struggle was on the
employers said: I'VE will not concede any
thing, we will not arbitrate, and the miners
cannot return to work until there is an I'M
conditional surrender"
Within the last two weeks the operators
have entirely changed their position upon
that point and they now say they are will
ing to submit this matter to arbitration.
t,6 SoWii then en- the the S SsesitiSa raised af som is 6 19 a abe
men. You have not returned to work. you
dc not know yet whether or not you are
you occupied before the strike, but you are
anticipating; you have already secured a
proposition. by which the question of dis
missal of those men, IL they are dismissed,
will be submitted to arbitration, and the
operators have agreed to abide by the de-
cislon of the arbitrators. We can lust as
now as we could have afforded to meet
them on that ground FIVE months ago; in
fact, we can afford to meet them on hat
ground now a great deal better than we
could then. In view Of the fact that even
II some Of the men are left out, and In
Mr.. Mitchell yesterday, that II any men
were let out the United Mine Workers
would take care of them, I believe 1t would
be folly TO risk the chance you now have,
or risk the chance of ultimate defeat rather
than to accept the complete victory that is
Some Of you say we should not accept
this proposition now. Would 1t not be well
TO ask: If you do not aecePt this PROPOSE,
What will you put in its place? What has
made your struggle the complete success II
has been up to the present timer" It is
the fact that It has been so handled as to
m the admiration, the respect and
the confidence of the entire American peo-
pie. If, then, you turn down a proposition
made in good faith by the president of the
United States, looking to the termination
of the difficulties now existing, can you
expect to retain that confidence that admit
ration and respect?
You should accept it because it is the
proposition that you yourselves made when
the struggle began. You have won that
which you were contending for. Now the
proper course to pursue is to accept your
own proposition, made when the strike
began.
The delegates in brief speeches took
up both sides of the question with great
ea~rnestness. Those opposed to the propo-
sition wanted specific assurance that they
would be taken care Of.
During the debate three speeches were
made in foreign lsnguages-SIsvonic, Pol
ism and Lithuanian. The three foreign
speaking delegates favored the acceptance
OF the proposition. A Slav delegate wanted
to know what wages the men would receive
II they go to work Thursday, which created
a laugh. He was informed that the ques-
ton would be placed in the hands of the
commission.
The Italian delegates also wanted the
proposition explained to them, which was
done by an Italian speaker. When he had
concluded his explanation a motion was
Immediately made to close debate. Before
the motion was put, Mr.. Mitchell, in an
swer to q query, announced that he had a
telegram from the president Of the United
States that be would call a meeting of the
commission as soon as the convention tool
favorable action. This was received with
cheers. President Mitchell gave 1t as his
opinion that the commission would make III
report within one month.
MitcheIIs Closing Plea.
The motion to close debate was adopted
and before calling for a vote on the adop-
ton Of the report which would end tbs
| efrfla praaEdanf HffebaI amid daan ell