The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1902-10-17
MINERS MIGHT REJECT t.
PRESENT FORM OF ARBITRA
TION PLAN OBJECTIONABLE.
1t IL Expected that President Nit
chell Will File an Objectiop His
Views Are to be Heeded-Newspaper
Men.Get a::Short Statement-Nothin
Defnite-Many Rumors Denied.

now exists, there is every indication
that the new arbitration plan proposed
by the presidents Of the coal companies
for ending the miners strike will not
be accepted in it's present form.
There is division of opinion among
the strikers, but there is no doubt that
a majority feel that the offer to have
the president of the United States Sc
lect an arbitration committee along the
lines suggested by the operators is not
fair, and that it unduly limits the board.
The miners, it is safe to say, will
abide by the advice Of the national
president, in whose judgement they
have the utmost confidence.
President Mitchell declines to say
how he personally looks upon the prop
osition, but he has given the press the
following statement:
II fully appreciate with what an
xiety the people Of our country are a.
waiting the end Of the coal strike.
The coal operators have not addressed
the miners union or its officers in max
ing their public statement. It is there
fore impossible for me to'make state
mant as to the attitude Of the miners
at this time. am now rs l have al
ways been, deeply solictous Of the in
terests of the public, and the welfare
Of the mine workers who have been on
strike for the past five months.
A formal statement defining our posi-.
tion and intentions will be issued just
as soon as we are in possession Of the
full meaning Of the proposition Of the
operators.
This statement was made by him at
8 O'Clock after silence lasting all day
He had no intention of making ii
until the correspondents representing
newspapers all over the country called
on him in a body and informed him
that the general public desired to have
an answer to the proposition Of the
operators. After giving it he was
asked many questions regarding the
attitude OF the men and the probability
of the acceptance or the rejection OF
the new offer, but he had no reply tt
make to any of these questions. He de.
MED that he had any knowledge OF
what the new offer Of the operators was
until it bepape public property, and
also denied that he was in telegraphic
communication with President Roose'
welt. His attention was called to the
fact that most of the information from
Washington indicated that the pro
position would be accepted and thai
the strike was near an end, but hi
stoutly maintained that neither hi
officers nor the rank and file Of thu
men had done anything to cause sucf
an impression to go out.
The district presidents also main
tanned silence as to their persona
opinion of the proposition, excepting
President Fahefy, who, after arriving
from Boston to day, gave an inkling O
how he viewed the new turn Of affairs
In reply to a question he said:
"The strike cannot be settled with
out the concent Of the men. We ar
not dealing in gold bricks Of any kind
and you can make any deduction from
this that you want"
It is fully expected that the senti
ment of all the striking miners will b
known by Thursday and that actiol
will be taken accordingly. There /
talk of convention being called, bu
there is nothing definite on which t
base this kind of talk. When MI
Mitchell was asked if he and the dis
trict officers had power to end tn
strike, he said it is q rule Of the o,
ganization that no settlement can b
made by the officers Of the union wit
out the consent of q delegate conveu
tion. It is practically admitted tina
Mr.. Mitchell's advice will be followed
While he has not said a word as t
what he will do it is freely predicte
by those who understand the sittuatio
that he will advise refusal Of the prt
position.
The rank and file Of the miners viev
the new proposition in different light
Those who sre opposed to accepting th
new offer look upon the OPERATOR
latest move as counter proposition
Mr.. Mitchells offer to arbitrate mad
in the temporary White House I
Washington.
Robbers Got $4,000.
Lincoln, Neb.. Oct 13.-Three mask
men held up Burlington train No. II, I
, Pacific coast express, four miles out