The Topeka state journal., 1902-10-04
FAILED. \,
Conference Called by the Presi-
dent Barren of Results.
The Anthracite Strike Will
Continue as Before.
OFFER TO ARBITRATE.
Mitchell Proposed to Leave 1t
All to Roosevelt.
Offer Was Promptly Declined by
the Operators.
Each Side Submits Statement
of Its Position.
The Anthracite Strike viii
Continue as Before.
OFFER TO ARBITRATE.
Mitchell Proposed to Leave Ii
All to Roosevelt.
Offer Was Promptly Declined by
the Operators.
Each Side Submits a Statement
of Its Position.

WASHINGTON. Oct. 4--The great coal
conference between the president ana
representatives of the operators and the
miners came to an end at the temporary
White House facing Lafayette squaI =
at 4.55 O'Clock Friday afternoon Win d
failure to reach an agreement ps1 ape
emily the rock upon which the CONF
ence spIit was recognition of the Mln-
ers' union. The president had ufseu % elie
contending parties to cease strife IN llle
interests of the public welfare
The miners, through the president OIL OIL
their union, had expressed Willingness
10 submit differences to arbitration OF d
tribunal to be named by the president
and to enter into an agreement TO aplue
bv terms fixed by the arbitration Tor
period of from one to five years.
The employers, through the presidents
of the railroad and coal COMPANIES, ana
a leading independent mine operator /,
had squarely refused arbitration. hau
denounced the miners labor organlza-
ton as a lawless and anarch1Stc Douy
with which they could and Woula nave
no dealings had demanded tederal
troops to insure complete protection TO
workers and their families in the min
ing region and court prOceealHss
against the miners union. ana had OF
fered if the men returned to work. 10
submit grievances at individual conner
les to the decision of the Judges OF the
court of common pleas for the district
of Pennsylvania in which the colneIy
was located. There the matter STANDS.
What if anything, will result from
the conference IS for the indefinite fu-
ture. 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 a recess of three hours be-
tween the morning and afternoon ses-
sions taken to enable the miners and
opera tors to prepare written responses
to the presidents appeal
The immediate parties to the strike
say they will continue as heretofore.
What course the administration will
take no one is prepared to say. one o. OF
the opera tors, as he left the White
House. with closely set jaws, was asked
regarding this and replied:
IF anyone knows what the president
will do next, that is more than know.
Fourteen men, including the president
were in the secOnd-stOry front room at
the temporary White House during the
momentous conference. President Nit
chell and three of his district leaders
reDresented the miners and tive railroad
men and one independent mine operator
the employers With the president were
Attorney General Knox, Commissionel
of Labor Wright and Secretary Cortet
vOl All the cabinet save the attorney
general kept aloof during the conference
but between the two meetings and af
terward several of the presidents ad
visers called upon him to talk over the
situation. What took place at the meet
ing is set out in ample statements made
by each side and given out to the pres:
officially at the White House
Almost Immediately after the presl
dent had closed his statement Mr.. Nit
chell arose and on behalf CT the miner:
offered to submit the differences to ar
bitration. The operators looked sur
prised. but before any reply could b.
made President Roosevelt said ne de
sired that both parties take the matte
under consideration and meet him again
at o'clock. The first session had last
ed less than Is minutes. The operators
were driven to their private cars in tn
railroad yards, and Mr.. Mitchell ang
his party returning to their hotel. Boil
parties Immediately set to work to pre-
pare statements in reply to the presi
dents suggestions.
The operators decided to make sepa
rate responses, but before doing so haC
a discussion Of the general tenor of tn
statements they would make. 1t is un
derstood that President Baer communi
Gated his statement to parties in New
York over the long distance telephon
before reading it to the president
There was only one Stenographer OF
the special train, and the time consume
in debating and preparing the state
ments caused three of the operators t
be Is minutes late for the afternoon ses
sion All the other parties to it wer
on hand at 8 o'clock. At 3:15 the after
noon proceedings began. Presiden
Baer, of the Reading. opened them Wit
a statement setting forth the views O
those he represented. He was followe
by President Mitchell, of the miners
union. Then Mr.. Thomas. of the Erie
followed. and was succeeded by Messrs
Markle. an independent mine operator
and Truesdale, Wilcox and Fowler o
the Lackawanna, Delaware & Hudson
and Ontario & Western railroads re
spectively.
A tinge of the dramatic was given +
the proceedings by Mr. Marzle who /
addition to the prepared statement, tol
the president that he wanted to presen
the case in another light. and as "ex
hibit A" he handed the president a con
of an Illustrated paper with a cartoo
showing a non-union miner bein
abused by the union miners and pre-
vented from going to work, with Jus
tice' bound and powerless. 1t was lai
on the table with other papers, tn
president making no comment.
At the conclusion of the statement:
there was considera BILE general an
what might be regarded as informs
conversation The president called at
tention to a part of the statement mad
by President Baer, in which the latte
said the operators were willing to SUI
NIT grievances to the courts of commo
pleas in Pennsylvania The -resider
asked Mr. Mitchell if he. not as pres
dent of the union, but as an individua
would agree to that Mr. Mitche
promptly replied that he would not
Mr.. Thomas supplemented his state
ment by saying that he came to WASH
ington during the civil war with a gu
on his shoulder to 6ght for a orincipl
He was contending for a principle nov
which was that a man should not +
denied the right to work because he di