The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-03

ed at that time which would furnish thes
basis of an adjustment.
The conference then terminated. 1t
had lasted less than Is minutes. The
ren4cssnta4tVes of the railroads came
down star first and went to their car
riages. They refused to say anything
except that they would meet again at
O'Clock They would not even say where
they were gcing to make their head
quarters. When askad where they could
be seen. President Baer remarked to the
newspaper men:
"Gentlemen what we want is to go to
some place where you can't find us and
where we will not be interrupted" Then
they drove away.
President Mitchell and his party fol-
lowed soon after, refusing to say any
thing. A little later Attorney General
Knox left.the White House. 1t was un
derstood that both parties to the con-
ference would, during the adjournment,
formulate some proposition based on
what the president had said or that each
would be prepared with a reply to pre-
sent to the president when the confer
ence was resumed at o'clock:
PROSPECTS BRIGHT.
At 1880 p. m. Secretary Root termina
ted nearly an hours private conference
with the president. The secretary was
in an optimistic mood when he left the
White House. He said he could not
communicate anything further than
what had been given to the press. but
he did not hesitate to express his indi-
vidual opinion to the effect that the
prospects were bright for some salts
factory outcome to the negotiations in
stituted today. He thought that the
strong point of the situation was that
for the first time the conflicting ele-
ments had been brought fairly face to
face--in the bull ring. as he expressed
it and they were now in a position
where it was incumbent upon them to
do something. In other words the ice
had been broken as between the parties
and he was hopeful that when they
came together again the way would be
paved for some sort of a COMPROMISE.
Secretary Moody dropped in to see the
president about noon. He stayed, how
ever but a few moments and while he
stated that it was purely naval business
that brought him to the White House,
he did not deny that he had acquainted
himself with the coal strike situation.
When Mr.. Mitchell and District PreSi-
dents Duffy, Nichols and Fahy left the
White House after the conference they
returned to the hotel where they were
closeted during the afternoon. Mr.
Mitchell declined to say anything about
his purpose in regard to a settlement oe
the strike.
The representatives of the railroads
were driven from the White House 10
their special train. in which they re-
mained at the Baltimore & Ohio sta
tion until it was time to leave for the
second conference. Each representa-
tive Will submit a separate statement,
which will be presented to the president
when the conference reassembles and
which viii be made public as soon as
the president has seen it. They decline
to discuss the attitude they will take
on the ground that it would be discour-
teous to the president to disclose tAei1
intention or their statement previous to
sumitting it to him.
President Baer was asked if their was
any prospect of a settlement of the
strike. He replied that he could not
tell, as each company would submit d
separate statement to the president.
At o'clock. the hour set for the re-
sumption of the conference, President
Baer with two of his fellow co-Dresi-
tents. drove up to the White house. Mi.
/ Mitchell and his three colleagues ap-
peared a few minutes later.