Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-08
Answer Sent to President.
LOCAL UNIONS TO DECIDE.

LOCAL UNIONS TO DECIDE.
Whether Miners Will Return to Work
or Not.
Special From STAFF Correspondent
WILKESBARRE. Pa, October SIT all
remains with the local unions to the
chances of the striking miners going
back to work. II they persist in
striking it will be impossible for the
operators to secure men to work the
mines. This is not similar to any
ordinary strike. 1t is not like trying to
break a street car strike. These miners
are skilled men and before they can get
into mine must possess certificates is
sued by the state testfyng to the fact that
they are competent and familiar with
gases. roof construction, etc. No mine
workers from another state can come IN
and take their places. This applies to the
miner proper. the man who blasts down
the coal, and shores up the roof. The
laborer his assistant, who loads the coal
into the mine car and runs 1t TO the hoist,
Is another proposition. His place can be
iled. but his work is not ready for him I'M
til the miner has thrown down the coal.
Question of Skilled Labor.
So. it is evident that If Mr.. Mitchell can
ators cannot fill their places and the work
cannot proceed. 1t is said that 90 per cent
OF these skilled miners are in the union
How many of them are willing and anxious
to give up the fight and go back to work,
cOnfessing defeat, can only be determined
by the experience of the next few days
Events are expected to move rapidly.
however, within forty Eight hours. demon
strating whether the strike is broken or
whether it is to continue If the miners re-
main peaceful, refrain from overt acts IS
cautioned by their president, and stand
pat" on their, present position, 1T is difficult
to perceive how the presence of the troops
will affect the situation.
There is very little distress among the
strikers families. The situation for them
does not begin to be as serious ii is for a
man of moderate means in the big cities
who has no coal and cannot afford to pay
the ruling prices for what coal Is for sale.
The suffering is in the cities, not the ccal
fields The miners are receiving relief from
every quarter. Organized labor all over the
country is sending in money and supplies
Moreover, thousands of the more intelligent
men have left the fields and have gone
10 work in the great factories and mills of
Pittsburg. Chicago Cleveland and the west
where labor is in demand. They are send
ing home money. IF the strike were de-
cared off today il would be weeks before
the mines could be fully manned
Opposition to Presidents Offer.
While the situation may take an unex-
pected turn at any moment the present
temper Of the labor leaders is to refuse the
proposition Of President Roosevelt, pre-
scented to Mr.. Mitchell by Commissioner
Wright.
The belief of the leaders is that the Presi-
dent cannot deliver the goods" that he
does not possess the power to redress the
wrongs of which the miners complain. In
that view OF the case the labor leaders are
unable to perceive the advantage of giving
up after a long and thus far successful
strike
The President will have to make it plain
TO the leaders that he is in a position TO
satisfy their claims. They know the atti-
tude OF the operators: their leaders were
present when the operators defied the Presi-
dent and the public. They know that the
consent of the operators will have to be OBJ
tanned to any plan for their relief. and that
the President does not possess the power
to force such consent from the operators.
Their argument is that II the President
thinks Congress can relieve them by flu
ture investigation. ETC.. why has not Con-
gress been called in session before this TO
do ft-why postpone until next year. when
there will be only three months session,
hardly time enough for the ordinary busl
ness Of the national legislature?
Argument Of the Leaders.
Moreover. the leaders are inclined to put
to the test this attempt to open the mines
with the aid of the troops. They want to
how 1t turns out II the mines are
opened and they lose their strike. they
think they still will have the right to de-
mand of Congress, with organized labor
back of Them the very Investigation and
redress which President Roosevelt now sug-
gests. and they think that neither the
President nor Congress will dare refuse It.
The foregoing is the line of argument one
hears at strike headquarters In this city
IL Is not encouraging to an early settle
men of the difficulty.
President Mitchell returned from Buff
falo this morning at II clock He imme-
diately started upon the preparation of a
letter to President Roosevelt in answer TO
the Presidents latest proposition. That
letter will probably be forwarded night
and reach the White House tomorrow
morning. 1t will not be given out by Mr.
Mitchell.
Last night and this morning the local
unions throughout the coal fields have been
holding meetings to determine whether
they shall support Mr.. Mitchell or go back
to work under protection from the troops
Up to noon today many reports of those
meetings had been received at strike head
quarters. Thus far there has not been one
report in favor of abandoning the s'rike
and It is claimed that the meetings have
been practically unanimous.
1t is considered that the tenor OF the
meetings of the men Is an answer to Presi-
dsnf Roosevelt's proposition.
Mitchell Still Sanguine.
Mr.. Mitchell continues to be hopeful OF
ultimate gictory. He, said this morning
that the american people are aroused on
ehis question, and will not be satisded until
the question Ii settied right. He held that
vAen the American people once take q po-