The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-10-01
PRESIDENT TAXES
 UP COIL STRIKE Initiative Steps to Ascertain if Government Can Do Anything to Set
 tie It.
CONFERENCEIN WASHINGTON
EVERY PHASE OF THE, SITUA-
 TION DISCUSSED.

tration's Lack of Power on the Whole to Take Amy Action at Present Time Advices Received That Strike May be Settled by che Operators and Miners Roots Significant Visit to New York. Washington, Sept. SO.-The president to-day took initiative steps to ascertain what, if anything, could be done by federal authority to settle the coal strike.
 The result was a rather general eX- pression of opinion by the advisors of the president who were parties to to- days conference to the effect that the federal laws and constitution did not afford means of federal interference to end the strike, but another conference will be hefd tomorrow and the presi- dent will do all he can properly and le- gally to bring about settlement. At the temporary White house a con- ference was held with three cabinet of ficers, Attorney Knox, Secre- tary Moody and Postmaster-Gen Payne. Governor Crane, of Massachu- setts, also was present. These gentle men met with President Roosevelt and after the subject had been considered for some time they adjourned to an- other room and conferred together for an hour. They all returned later in the day and held another conference with the president a ....... ..s,.....
 President Roosevelt is deeply con. 4l.1 e,ift / aDroach of winter with coal famine imminent, and the distress and suffer- ing that must ensue unless coal be- comes available, presents situation which he thinks should receive the at- tention of the administration, if there is anything that can be done by the government Many appeals and sug- gestions have been receivd by him, and it was with a view to scertaining what power the federal authority could evoke that caused the conference to be held.
 During the conference every phase of the situation was discussed. The gen. eral opinion of the advisors of the advisors of the president was that the situation did not present case in which there could be federal interfer- ence by any warrant of law. There has been no interference with federal au- thority in the mining region, either by stoppage of the mails or resistance of the United States court process. It was pointed out that there was no occasion for the use of federal troops as Cover nor Stone of Pennsylvania had not call- ed on the government for assistance, nor had he even exhausted the resourc- es of the state by calling out the full strength of the state militia. The ques- ton of the right to seek appointment of receivers for the mines in order that they might be operated was discussed, but neither in the constitution nor in any known law could any legal warrant be found for such action though the discussion on such lines even went so far as the consideration of how the properties could be relinquished and control surrendered after the object of supplying coal had been accepted, as- suming the federal government could intervene through receivers.
 The outcome of the whole discussion was that there was lack of the power in the federal administration to take any action at the present stage of the strike, although the seriousness of the coal famine now and the much greater evils soon to follow were considered at length and with a wish to discover some method of ending the industrial deadlock.
 Governor Cranes presence naturally brought into prominence the proceed ings begun in the Massachusetts courts to secure the appointment of receivers for the coal properties, but the opinion was expressed that the situation coulc not be met successfully by this method
 During the day advices were received that the strike might be settled by th operators and the miners themselves an' 1t was suggested that hasty interference of any kind by the federal governmen might prevent the consummation O the plans for a strike settlement, if an, such were maturing, While recogniz ing the futility of efforts to end tn strike that could accomplish nothing i was stated that the president was anx ious the end of the strike should b. brought about at the earliest possibl moment and that if the attorney gen eral or any other member of the cabi net could devise a method by which tn president could proceed that he woult not hesitate to adopt it unless mean while assurances of a settlement Wer recivd. After the days meeting Govr nor Crane left Washington for Massa chusetts.
 The conference will be resumed to morrow at which time Secretary Roo ..,t,o epa,,t to-day i,, Nou, vbrir will h