The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-10-11
TIT ENDS in FAILURE.
Conference Over the Coal Question
Proves Futile.
Presidenx MItchell's 0Ge~ 20 ArbA-
trate IL Flatiy Refined ~ Repre-
senfatives Of Opessasrs-fresa-
aeua Roosevelt Disa DDeinted.

trate IL Flatly Refined ~ Repre-
sentatives Of Opessasrs-Fresa-
Aen Roosevelt DisapDeinteA.
Washington, Oct. 4. = The great
coal conference between the presi-
dent and representatives OF the OPP
orators and the miners came to an
end at the temporary white house,
facing Lafayette square, ut 1855
o'clock Friday afternoon with fail
ure to reach an agreement. Appa-
rently the rock upon which the con-
ference split was recognition OF the
miners union. The president had
urged the contending parties to cease
strife In the interests of the public
welfare; the miners, through the
president of their union, had ex-
pressed q willingness to submit diff
ferences 10 arbitration Of tribunal
to be named by the president, and
to enter into an agreement to abide
by terms fixed by the arbitration
for a period of from one TO five years.
and the employers, through the pres
dents of the railroad and coal COM
panies and n leading independent
mine operator, had squarely refused
arbitration, had denounced the
miners labor organization as law
less and anarchistic body with which
they could and would have no deal
ings, had demanded, federal troops
TO ensure complete protection to
workers and their families in the
mining region. and court proceed
ings against the miners union, and
had offered il the men returned to
work to submit grievances at individ-
ual collieries to the decision of the
Judges of the court of common pleas
for the district of Pennsylvania in
which the colliery was located. There
the matter closed. Both the miners
and the operators are still in the
city, but to-day they return to their
several localities, each saying at
late hour that the struggle will con-
tinue.
No Middle Ground Possible.
What, If anything, will result from
the conference, is for the indefinite
future. The views of the contenders
In the great industrial struggle were
so extreme and wide apart that there
was no middle ground possible and so
the conference came to an end without
any agreement for its continuation.
The conference had lasted six hours,
including recess Of three hours be-
tween the morning and afternoon ses-
sions, taken to enable the miners and
operators to prepare written responses
% ha i'll M annual Tho inn
date parties to the strike say they will
continue as heretofore. What course
the administration will take next no
one is prepared to say. One of the
operators as he left the white house
with closely set jaw was asked regard
ing this and replied: "If any one knows
what the president will do next, that
Is more than / know" II was an
nounced at the white house that the
president had no comment to make on
the conference.
Conference Ends.
The operators made it plain that
they would not listen to any PROPOSE
ton emanating from Mr.. Mitchell. 10
was five minutes to five o'clock when
the conference ended. The operators
came downstairs and held brief con-
sultation and then left in their car
riages for their train, where they met
n number of newspaper men, to whom
they furnished copies of the statements
they had made to the president.
Statement by Mitchell.
During the evening President Mitch
ell, of the Mine Workers union, die.
tated ii formal statement concerning
q the proceedings of the conference
and It's results, in which he on
nounced that the strike would con-
tinue as a result of the failure of the
conference.
Little Hope in Legal Action.
The president DIS naturally disap-
pointed at the failure of his well-meant
efforts to bring about a settlement of
the strike, but he is not discouraged.
1t is true he has little faith in the
possibility of legal action, and equally
remote is the likelihood Of the en-
ployment of force. Until the state
authorities confess their inability to
cope with the situation, federal force
cannot be exerted.
Congress Mny he Called.
With legal action impossible and
military force out of the ques ton,
there still remains to the president
the power to convene congress in ex-
traordiuary session, and it would not
be surprising IL this extreme remedy
should be resorted to, even upon the
eve OF an election. Just what con-
gress could or would do is as yet a
matter of surmise. A law enforcing
compulsory arbitration would not be
unconstitutional, and in the present
state of public feeling would be
passed by congress in almost the
twinkling of an eye.
Suggestions of Eminent Domain.
There are suggestions of even more
radical measures, such as the exer.
else of the right of eminent domain
in the coal region or the appoint
ment Of receivers for the coal com
panies and railroads.
Sargent to Paint the President.
New York, Oct. Alt is announced