The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-25
END IN SIGHT.
President Mitchell and Attorney
for the Mine Workers
Meet the Representative of the
Operators in Washington.
AN AGREEMENT NEAR.
When 1t Is Reached It Will Be
Submitted for Approval
To the Commission Appointed
by President Roosevelt.

Washington. Nov. 25.-President John
Mitchell of the United Mine Workers,
and Clarence S. Darrow and H. D.
Lloyd of counsel for the miners, ar
rived here in Washington early this
morning and later were in conference
with Wayne MacVeagh, representing
the Pennsylvania Coal company and the
Hillside Coal & Iron company. The
meeting was held in the room of Mr..
Darrow, in the Hotel Willard, and last
ed for three hours. AS Mr.. MacVeagh
is one of the trustees of the Carnegie
institute, who were meeting across the
hall, he divided his time between the
two.
The conference was over at 1 o'clock,
and Mr.. Darrow admitted the newspa-
per men to his room. He announced
that nothing had been done this morn
ing except to go over the various propo-
sitions which have been advanced. He
declined to state what these were, bus
intimated they were substantially the
same as those which recently have been
published, namely. nine hour day,
10 per cent increase and yearly agree
ments with the miners.
Mr. MacVeagh refused to state wheth-
er or not he represented the coal COM
paEfes at todayS conference, but Mr..
Darrow said he did not think Mr. Mac
Veagh would wish to make-a contract
without consulting the other compan nies.
He said that the main features of the
proposed agreement had been about de-
cided upon at Scranton and that when
a complete agreement is effected. it will
be submitted to the commission. When
asked what would be done should
some of the companies hold out Mr.
Darrow stated that in that event the
commission would be obliged to hear the
evidence. although he did not doubt that
all would consent to the agreement as
finally drawn up.
Before leaving Scranton it was learn
ed today that the commission received
united telegram from the operators
asserting to the provisions of the tenta-
tive agreement which had been pre-
pared at the conference there
MIR. Darrow did not think that the
present differences existing were of such
a nature that they could not be adjust
ed in a short time and said that COM
plete understanding between the con-
tending parties will undoubtedly be had.
further conference will be held at 2
o'clock this afternoon. but Mr. Darrow
was of the opinion that no definite con-
clusfonS would be reached at it. He
1 thought it would be necessary to have
several more conferences with other
counsel for the operators, but he was
unable to say when they would be held.
Mr.. Mitchell refused to make any state
ment. He leaves Washington tonight
for Scranton.
The conference between Mr.. Mitchell
and Mr.. MacVeagh was resumed shortly
after 2:30 O'Clock this afternoon. Before
entering the room Mr. MaeVeagh vol
unteered the informal ton that he had no
authority wha tsoever to act for any
other than the two companies represent
ed bv him.
Carroll D. Wright, a member of the
anthracite coal strike commission. Soin-
refused to make any statement as he
entered the room