St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-10-08
THE GREAT COAL STRIKE.

growing in Intensity since it began May
H. occurred Friday when President
Roosevelt invited John Mitchell, the pre-.
s;deat of the United Mine Workers of
h America, three district presidents Of the
came labor organization, the presidents
or heads of the five coal carrying rail
n roads. popularity known as the anthra-
cite coal trust. and John Markle, repre-.
senting the independent operators, to a
con erence in Washington.
In opening the conference President
Roosevelt said:
N 81 wish to call your attention to the
fact that there are thee parties affected
by the situation in the anthracite trade;
Il The operators, the miners, and the gen.
qral pubic. speak for neither the oper-
a ators, nor the miners but for the general
n nublc. The questions at issue which led
n 70 the situation affect Immediately the
u narties conceI red-the operators and the
miners; but the situation itself vitally
affects the public
N CAS- long as there seemed to be rea-
N sOnable hope that these matters could
he adjusted between the parties it did
"A not seem proper to me to intervenein any
way. | dsclaim any right or duty TO
q intervene in this way upon legal grounds
n or upon any official relation that | bear
to tie situation, but the urgency and
n terrible nature OF tie catastrophe inn
n pending over large portion Of our PEG.
+ ple in the shape OF a winter fuel famine
imDel me after much anxious thought to
"A believe that my duty requires me to use
v whatever influence | personally can to
bring to an end situation which has
q become literally intolerab'e.
d Upon the compe ion of the Presidents
N remarks Mr.. Mitchell made q statement
n as follows:
Mr.. President, am much impressed
n with what YOU say. | am much i'm
a pressed with the gravity of the situation.
"a We feel that We are not responsible for
this terrible state OF affairs. We are will
q ling to meet the gentlemen representing
N the coal operators to try to adjust our
N differences among ourselves. 1t We can
81 not adjust them that way Mr.. President
we are willing that you shall name a
81 tribunal who shall determine the ISSUES
n that have resulte in the strike and if the
n gentlemen representing the operators
II will accept the award or decision of such
a tribunal, the miners will willingly ac-
81 cept it, even if it is against tier claim"
1t had taken but Is minutes to reach
q this point in the conference when the
n President, who sat with his injured leg
n bound to the chair, asked both SIDES to
n adjourn until in the afternoon Git was
a then II 30''n the forenoon), and to pre-
Y sent their views as to the settl ment oil
the strike.
n At little after TIE conference again
II assembled. The railroad presidents and
n Mr.. MarkIe pr escnted somewhat lengthy
statements. admitting the seriousness OF
N the situation and demanding that pro-
n lection lie afforded tie 1900 miners
n now at work in the PENNSYLVANIA coal
N fields Mr.. B er, the president Of the
N Philadelphia & Reading, said, There IS
M Al terrible reign OF lawlessntss and crime
4 there Only TIE lives and property OF the
members of the secret oath bound order
II which declared that the locals should
n have full power to suspend operations
n at cOllieries until the nOn-union mon
n oined their order are sale Every effort
B IS made to prevent the mining OF coal
N and when mined. M,tcbell's men dyna-
N mite bridges and tracks, mob traiDmeu
II and by all manner OF violence try to pre-
y vent its shipment to relieve the public"
In closing Mr.. Baer said, Under these
II conditions, we decline to accept Mr..
n Mitchells considtrate offer to let our
men work on terms he names. He has
n no right to come from Illinois TO dictate
terms, on the acceptance OF which an
u archy and crime shall cease in Pennsyl
vania. He must stop his people from
killing, manning and abusing Pennsyl
vania citizens and from destroying prop
Y erty. He must stop it because it is un
II lawful and not because OF any bargain
4 with us
We will add to Our offer to continu,
Y the wages existing at the time OF The
\ strike and to take up at each colllery
and adjust any grievance, this further
Il condition-if the employers and en-
ployes at any particular colery canno'
reach satisfactory adjustment OF any
d alleged grievances, it shall be referred tc
the Judges OF the Court of Common
4 Pleas of the district in which the colllery
is situated, for final determinations
The other railroad presidents ard Mr.
Marke corroborated Mr., Baers state
ments and all declined to arbitrate in tn
v manner Mr.. Mitchell suggested or t(
recognize the Miners Union.
Mr. Mitchell again renewed his reques
to settle the strike by arbitration ant
asked the President to select his tribunal
In closing Mr., Mitchell said, "lt you vii
accept this responsibility and the repre-
sentatiyeS of tie coal operators will sig
nifty their willingness to have your dc
cislon incorporated in an agreement 10
not less than one year or more than fly
years as may be mutually determined
between themselves and the anthraclt
coal mine workers, and will pay the seal
of wages which You and the tribunal al
pointed bv you shall award, we will in
mediatelv call a convention and recon
meud a resumption of work, understand
ing that the wages which shall be paiC
are to 90 in tif,ct from the day upo
which work is resumed.
Mr. Mitchell was asked by the Pres
dent at the close OF the conference II |
had anything further to say and he sal
he wished to deny the statement that :
murders had been committed. lie al
mitled there were seven deaths and son
lawessness, but said no one regrette
that more than he himself
The President then asked the represe
tative of the anthracite companp
whether they would accept Mr.. Mite