The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-02
INDEPENDENT OPERATORS
Claim 1t Was Easy Matter to Bring
Coal Road Presidents to Their
Way of Thinking.

when it returned from New York last
night were the countenances of the
miners representatives when they re-
turned from their disappointing trip
to Washington. How the latter view
the sudden and surprising turn of
affairs is we'll set forth by Messrs.
Darrow and Lloyd, the miners attor-
neys, who accompanied Mr.. Mitchell
to Washington.
They clearly indicate that they
think the coal road presidents ac-
quiesced in Mr.. MacVeagh's plan of
a settlement out of court and then
repudiated him. The allegation that
George F. Baer signed the telegram
to Chairman Gray of the strike COM
mission, declaring that the big COM
panies we're agreeable to the idea of
amicable adjustment, and that the
same men signed the telegram to Mr..
MacVeagh in Washington calling off
the negotiations is made in the state
ment. The statement follows:
Statement Of Miners Attorneys.
"The commission adjourned for 10
days in pursuance of an agreement
between the parties to give %opportun-
ity for Cancellation on account of a
telegram which was understood to
have been written by George Baer,
in the presence of and with the con
sent of every railroad concerned and
was signed by Wayne MacVeagh. This
telegram was written after a careful
reading Of the tentative agreement
which had been prepared and written
by consel for both parties, and which
had been submitted to the commits
sion. At the request of Mr.. Mac
Veagh, Mr.. Mitchell, Mr.. barrow and
Mr.. Lloyd went to Washington to con-
suit Upon some minor details of the
agreement. There was no friction or
important disagreement between the
parties in the meeting in Washing
ton.
Later in the day, and after the cor.
ference in New York with the indie
pendent operators, Mr.. MacVeagh re-
ceived a telegram calling off all ne
gotiations and advising that the mat
ter be settled by the commission in
a regular hearing. The man who
wrote the telegram to Judge Gray
stating that the main features of the
contract were acceptable was the
same man who signed the telegram to
Wayne MacVeagh three or four days
later stating that negotiations must
end.
GA cop of the tentative agreement
is in the hands of Wayne MacVeagh,
Mr.. Wilcox, of the Delaware & Hud-
son company; Carroll D. Wright and
probably Mr.. Baer.
"We can seen no eason for the ex-
preston of any opinion; the facts
speak for themselves. We have been
ready at all times to consult with any
one interested and make any reason
able adjustment, but we have no anxi-
ETY. over the case whatever, or its re-
suits, and shall be ready for business
when the commission meets. (Signed)
CLARENCE S. BARROW,
"HENRY D. LLOYD"
The Independents Responsible.
While admitting they did much to-
ward breaking off the negotiations
for a settlement out of court, the in
dependent operators do not hesitate to
say that they were not required to
advance much argument to bring the
coal road presidents to their way OF
thinking.
One of the independent operators
committee, which went to New York,
said today:
.'The situation was like that in the
story of the man who said:
4 would not drink unless you
force me, but l suppose you are able
to force me-
"The big companies had come to
| our way of thinking before we met
! them"
Hold a Conference.
President Mitchell, District Presi'
dents Nichols, Duffy and Fahey and
several other union officers, who are
here to attend the commission hear
ings, spent the afternoon in confer
ence as to the details of the evidence
to be presented when the commission
r~eassembles.
President Mitchell denies the report
that the miners executive board has
been summoned for a conference.
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