The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-10-17
MAY END IT
Coal Barons Agree to Plan Pro-
posed By Mitchell.
THAT A COMMISSION OF MEN
Be Selected by President to Settle
Coal Strike-Morgan Makes Filing
! Trip to Capital and Presents the
Matter to President.


Of Mr.. j. Pierpont Morgan who, with
his partner, Robert Bacon, and Secre-
tary Root, were in conference with
President Roosevelt at the temporary
White House last night for an hour
and half, a statement was given out
by Secretary Cortelyou, in which the
presidents of the coalcarrying rail-
roads and mine operators propose a
commission of five persons to adjust
the differences and settle the coal
strike in the anthracite coal fields of
Pennsylvania. The proposition is be-
lieved by the administration to be sat-
isfactory to the miners, as it covers
the proposition made by President
Mitchell of the United Mineworkers,
with additional conditions, which 1t Is
believed the miners will accept. The
substance of the statement is as fol
lows:
! The operators have agreed to the
appointment of commission to be ap-
pointed by the president Of the Unit
ed States, to whom shall be referred
all questions at issue between the
companies and their own employees,
whether they belong to union or not,
and the decision of the commission
shall be accepted by the operators.
The commission Is to consist of an
army and navy engineer officer, an ex-
pert mining engineer not connected
with the coal mining properties, one
OF the judges OF the United States
courts of the eastern district of Penn
sylvania, a man Of prominence, emf
nent as a sociologist and man who
by active participation in mining and
selling coal is familiar with the physi-
cal and commercial features OF the
business. The operators also make a
part OF their proposition that the min.
ers shall return to work as soon as
the commission is constituted and
cease all interference with non-union
men. The commission to name date
when its findings shall be effective
and to govern conditions Of employ
The issuance Of the statement fol-
lowed a conference at the White
House, which assembled very quickly
after Mr.. Morgan and his partner, Rob-
ert Bacon, had reached Washington on
a flying trip from New York. Mr.. Nor
gan and Mr.. Bacon arrived in Wash
ington about 10 o'clock. They met
Secretary Root and the gentlemen
walked over to the White House and
went at once to the president. They
remained with the president until ten
minutes of IL o'clock and then came
down stairs.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct. 15.-From a
thorough canvass of the situation as
it exists, there is every indication for
believing that the new arbitration
plan proposed by the presidents of the
coal companies for ending the miners
strike will not be accepted in its pres
ent form. There is a division of opin-
ion among the strikers, but there Is
no doubt that a majority feel that the
offer to have the president Of the Unit
ed States select an arbitration COM
mission along the lines suggested by
the operators Is not fair and that 1t
unduly limits the president in making
I'D the board. The miners, it Is safe
to say, will abide the advice of their
national president, in whose judgment
they have the utmost confidence.
President Mitchell declines to say how
he personally looks upon the PROPOSE
ton, but hast night he gave to the
press the following statement:
81 fully appreciate with what anx-
iety the people of our country are
awaiting the end of the coal strike.
The coal operators have not addressed
the miners union or its officers In
making their public statement. 1t Is,
therefore, impossible for me to state
the attitude of the miners at this time.
am now, as have.always been, deep
" solicitous of the interests OF the
public and the welfare Of the mine
workers, who have been on strike for
the past five months. A formal state
ment, defining our position and inten-
tions, will be issued just as soon as
we are in possession of the full mean
ing of the proposition of the opera
tors"