The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-01
ROOSEVELT
 INTERESTED Schemes to End the Coal
 Strike. A CONFERENCE IS HELD
Knox, Payne and Moody Have
 No Plan.
Today Secretary Root, Who Has Been in New York, May Suggest Some Method of Procedure to
 the President.

Washington, Sept. 30-The President today took initiative steps to ascertain what, if anything. could be done by Fed eral authority to settle the coal strike The result was conclusion that thcie was no law warranting Federal inter ference in the strike.
 At the temporary White House a con- ference was held with three Cabinet of ficers, Attorney General Knox, Score. tary Moody and Postmaster General Payne. Governor 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 another room and conferred together 10: dn hour. They all returned later Tn the day and held an- other conference with the President and the strike. situation was discussed fur ther.
 President Roosevelt is deeply concerned over the situation. The approach of win ter with coal famine imminent, and the distress and suffering that must ensue unless coal becomes available presents Q situation which he thinks should receive the attention of the administration if there Is anything that can be done by the government.
 Appeals to President.
 Many appeals have been made to him and many suggestions have been receiv- ed by him and it was with a view to as- certaining what power the Federal au- thority could evoke that caused the con- ference to be held. During the conference every phase of the situation was discuss cd. The general opinion of the advisers of the President was that the situation did not present a case in which there could be Federal interference by any war rant of law. ,+-4el
 There has been no interference with Federal authority in the mining region either by stoppage of the mails or resist ance of the United States Court process. 1t was pointed out that there was no oo. casion for the use of Federal troops as Governor Stone of Pennsylvania had not even exhausted the resources of the State by calling out the full strength of the State militia.
 The question of the right to seek ap polntment 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 through the discussion on such lines even went so far as the consideration of how the prop critics could be relinquished and control surrendered after the object of supply ing coal had been accepted, assuming the Federal government could intervene through receivers.
 The tenor of the whole discussion was to the effect that thede was lack of the power in the Federal administration to take any action at .he present stage of the strike, although the seriousness of the coal famine now and much greater evil to follow were considered at length with a wish to discover some method of ending the industrial deadlock.
 Presence of Crane.
 Governor Cranes presence naturally brought into prominence the proceedings begun in the Massachusetts courts to se- cure the appointment of receivers for the coal properties, but the opinion was ex- pressed that the situation could not be met successfully by this method.
 During the day advioes were received that the strike might be settled by the operators and miners themselves and it was suggested that nasty interference of any kind by the Federal Government might prevent the consummation of the plans for a strike settlement, if any such were maturing.
 While recognizing the futility of efforts to end the strike that could accomplish nothing, 1t was stated that the Presi- Aant was anxious that the end of the strike should be brought about the ear Hest possible moment, and that If the Attorney General or any other member of the Cabinet could devise a method by which the President could proceed. that he would not hesitate to adopt 1t unless
 0S aoftlaYn were received.
 After todays meeting. Governor Crane left Washington for Massachusetts.
 The conference will be resumed tomor- row, at which time Secretary Root, who spent the day in New York, will he pres ent. It is understood that the visit of Secretary Root to New York was for the purpose of consulting prominent busi- ness men on the subject.
 The Mission of Root.
 The Secretary left for New York Mon- day afternoon after a short conference at the White House, when the same men were present who were at today's con- ference.
 If has been intimated that the President may send for the managers of the coal properties. but this will not be done un- til after the conference tomorrow and nerhaps not then. Some confidence is ex- '. n.assed in the report which Secretary Ioot may bring from New York, though ii could not be learned what communica- ton. If any. had been received from the secretary while he was in Nv York. He reached Washington from there about m o'clock, but denied himself to news paper men and others seeking informa- ton.
 No official statement was made regard ing the conference today. though an in- timation was given that some statement might follow the conference tomorrow. As heretofore stated the main fact made atrarent today was that the President will make every effort he can exert prop erIv and lawfully to stop the strike and avert a fuel famine.