The Irish standard., 1902-10-04
WANT TO END STRIKE
President and Advisers Study the
Situation.
Unable to Find Legal Warrant for
Interference by Federal Govern-
ment-Moral Suasion to De Tried
on Strikers and Operators.

Washington, Oct. 1.-The president
on Tuesday took initiative steps to as
certain what, if anything, could be
done by federal authority to settle the
coal strike.
The result was a rather general ex-
preston of opinion by the advisers OF
the president who were parties to the
conference, to the effect that the fed
eral laws and constitution did not af-
ford means of federal interference to
end the strike, but another conference
will be held to-day, and the president
will do all he can properly and legally
to bring about settlement. At
the temporary white house confer
ence was held with three cabinet Off
GERS, Attorney General Knox, Secre-
tary Moody and Postmaster General
Payne. Gov. Crane, of Massachusetts,,
also was present. These gentlemen
met with President Roosevelt first, 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
with the president, and the strike stu
alton was discussed further.
Power Ia Lacking.
The tenor of the whole discussion
was to the effect that there was q
lack of power in the federal admin
istration 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
ana with wish to discover some
method of ending the industrial dead
lock.
Will Adopt Any Legal Method.
While recognizing the futility of
efforts to end the strike that could
accomplish nothing, it was stated
that the president was anxious that
settlement should be brought
about at the earliest possible mo-
ment, and that if the attorney gen.
eral or any other member of the
cabinet could devise u method bv
which the president could proceed,
that he would not hesitate to adopt
1t unless meanwhile assurances of n
settlement were received. After the
meeting Gov. Crane left Washington
for Massachusetts.
The conference will be resumed
to-day, at which time Secretary
Root, who spent Tuesday in New
York, will he present. 1t is under
stood that the visit of Secretary
Root to New York was for the pur-
pose of consulting prominent bust
ness men on the subject.
May Send for Managers,
1t has been intinrted that the presi-
dent may send for The managers of the
coal properties, but this will not be
done until after the conference to-day,
and perhaps not then. Some confidence
Is expressed in the report which Sec
rotary Root may bring from New York,
though it. could not be learned what
communication if any had been re-
ceived from the secretary while he was
in New York. He reached Washington
from there about ten o'clock Tuesday
night, but denied himself to newspaper
men and others seeking information.
No official statement was made re-
garding the conference Tuesday,
though an intimation was given that
some statement might follow the con-
ference to-day. AS heretofore stated,
the main fact made apparent Tuesday
was that the president will make every
effort he can exert properly and law
fully to stop the strike and avert a fuel
famine.
Will Try Moral sunsion.
1t is said the president also contem
plates sending a letter to the prcsi-
dents of the coal railways and another
to President Mitchell, of the miners
union, urging them to get together and
reach an adjust ent. He will base his
action upon the rights Of the public
in the premises. The people must have
coal mines are in one sense public utili-
ties. and neither their owners nor the
men who work in them have the right
to withhold their product from the
public. Already the coal railway presi-
dents and President Mitchell have been
advised of the plan of the president
to attempt this moral suasion upon
them. 1t is not believed that any en-
couragement has been received from
the railway presidents, who are still
standing out stubbornly. The miners
are ready to submit their case to arbi-
tration or to accept any reasonable
concession.
May Call Extra Session.
Another suggestion is that congress
be convened in extra session to enact
a law on the lines of bill presented
by Senator Mason providing for the
appointment Of receivers by the fed
eral courts in situations similar to
those confronting the country to-day.
Congress, acting as the representative
of people deprived of their rights,
could relieve the embarrassment of
the country by enacting law declar.
ing that the rights of the people in con-
nection with the necessities OF life
were equal to the legal rights of the
owners of the coal mines.
Sites Are Awarded.
st. Louis, Oct 1.--Undcr a lowering
sky and swept by a chilling wind
from the west, over ii thousand peo-
pie, comprising delegations from the
different states and spectators, Tues
day afternoon witnessed the cere-
monies in connection with the allot-
mcnt of sites for the federal and