Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-10-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our Regular Correspondent.)
Washington, Oct. Goth, 1902.

Editor Press
1t is difficult to find words to ex.
press the qualification felt at the
successful outcome of the presi-
dents efforts to end the coal strike.
When he first broached the subject,
Mr.. Roosevelt's political advisers
deprecated his proposition. They
said he would accomplish nothing
and would make enemies for him
self and his party, and even if he
secured the consent of both parties
to arbitration, it would possibly fall
to him to name the arbitrators and
that.he could not do without making
enemies; he had no legal right to
interfere and he had better abstain
from adding to his responsibilities.
To all of which, Mr.. Roosevelt re-
piled that he could not contemplate
the appalling prospect of the con-
tinuance of the strike into the
winter months, with the terrible
and widespread suffering which
must ensue, and feel that he was
doing his duty as the chosen repre-
sentative of the people without at
least making an effort to eliminate
the struggle.
The history of his efforts is
known, including the tactwithwhich
he conducted the meeting of the
opponents, the gentleness with
which he received the accusations
of the railway presidents, that he
was not doing his duty because he
had not sent federal troops to pro-
tect their interests, the earnestness
with which he pursued>his efforts,
even after the first conference fail
ed, the courage with which he in
sisted that the operators permit him
to add q labor leader to the list of
arbitration commission he had
selected. The whole goes to make
up one of the most creditable chap
ters in the history of a long line of
republican administrations and
demonstrates beyond cavil the ex-
cellent Judgment of the President
of the United States.
Everyone seems confident that
the commission Mr.. Roosevelt has
selected willascertain the facts and
adjudicate the contentious with per-
feet impartiality. Under the rules
which will govern the proceedings
Of the arbitrators two-thirds vote
will be required on every mooted
question and their findings will
bind both miners and operators for
period of at least three years, it
is to be hoped much longer.
By his close attention to the coal
strike, the President has forfeited
the short period of rest he hoped to
secure at Oyster Bay before it be-
came necessary to prepare his mes
sage to Congress. Mrs. Roosevelt
has beeu compelled to go to Long
Island without him. While there
she will close the summer home and
will soon return with the children
to Washington. Every effort is
being made to complete the new
office building which will be used
by the president so that he NAV
have the use Of the entire building
known as the temporary White
House for residence purposes, after
his family returns for the remain
ing two months which it will take
to complete the renovation of the
White House proper.
Although determined to do so only
as last resort, Secretary of the
Treasury has finally been compelled
to resort to the purchase of bonds
as a means to relieve the money
stringency which is now claimed
to be general. The bonds which
are now being purchased are not
due-until 1925 and the Treasury is
paying at the rate of 1879 to induce
the holders to part with them. 1t
is anticipated that sufficient bonds
viii be cashed at this figure to draw
out Of the Treasury S25, 900, 600.
When hispurchase shall have been
completed Secretary Shaw will have
released from the Treasury approx
mately S47, 100000 and procured
an increased bank circulation of
s15, 1000 600 thus adding to the