The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-17

pont Morgan, Robert S. Bacon, on
of Morgan's partners, Secretary Root
Secretary Coetelyou, and Presiden
Roosevelt, the following statement
explaining the position of the mine op
orators in reference to the Pennsyl
vanis coal strike, and stating the con
ditlons under which they would agree
to arbitration, which had been pre-
pared by the managers of the diff
ferent coal properties, was laid be
fore the President by Mr.. Morgan
The statement was then given to the
press and the public by Secretary
Cortelyou.
TIE OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
Secetary Cortelyoo, by authority
of those presnt at the White House,
made public the following autho-
rized statement concerning the con.
ference:
Mr. j.. Pierpont Morgan came to
Washington with his partner, Mr..
Bacon, at the request of the COM
panies, who desired that as matter
of courtesy their statement should
be shown to the president before it
was made public. Having been
laid before the president by Mr.. Nor
gan, it is now given to the press.
To the Public:
The managers of the different coal
properties comprising the anthracite
coal fields, wish their position in the
present strike to be understood, and
therefore make the following state
ment of facts:
There are in the anthracite regions
about Is operating companies and
firms and 147,O00 miners and work
men (of which 10000 are under age)
comprising some 20 nstionslities and
dialects.
OF these workmen possibly one
half belong to the United Mine
Workers Union, of which Mr.. John
Mitchell Is president. That organ
ization wss originally formed in the
bituminous coal region, and three
tourths of it's members are miners OF
bituminous coal, and, ,bituminous coal
is sold in, active competition with
snthracite coal. The remsining:work
men in the anthracite fields either
belong to no union whatever or do
not belong to the Mine Workers
Union.
The present strike was declared by
the Mime Workers union on the. 10th
day Of May, 1902. Since that time
many workmsn not belonging to or
not willing to follow that organiza,
tion were working in and about the
mines. From 1900 to 10000 are
now at work. Many more have
wished to work but have been prevent
ed by course of violence and intimi-
datlon towards those working, and
toward their families, accompanied
by the destruction of properties and
the fear of death or bodily harm to
every man who wishes to exercise
his right to work.
A schedule is annexed hereto
showing some of the things done to
create this reign of terror, and every
instance stated can be verified by
reference to the officers of the Law
civil and milltsry-in the anthracite
region. This violence has continued
and steadily increased notwithstand-
ing repeated disavowals by Mr..
Mitchell, and it is clear be either can
not or will not prevent it, and that
the rights of the other workmen can
not be protected under his supre-
macy from mine workers union.
WHY ARBITRATION WAS DECLINED.
The coal companies believe that
the wages paid in the coal regions
are for and full and all the business
in it's normal condition has been
able to stand if the capital invested
is to have any reasonable return.
The profits have been small, severa'
of the companies have become bank
rupt and been reorganized several
times. Several have not paid divi
dends, and the dividends of the
of the others have been small re-
turn for the capital invested. 1t is not
houavor the nnrDose of this state