The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-10-10

Washington. Oct. 4. = The great
coal conference between the presi-
dent and representatives of the op-
orators and the miners came to an
end at the temporary white house,
facing Lafayette square, at 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 a willingness to submit diff
ferences to arbitration of a tribunal
to be named by the president, and
to enter into an agreement to abide
by terms fixed by the arbitration
for period of from one to five years,
and the employers, through the pres
dents of the railroad and coal COM
panies and 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 if 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.
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 witho
any agreement for its continuation.
The conference had lasted six hours,
including recess of three hours be-
Nv cen Uut IlOl nlus X anu dlleIHOOu SeS-
sions, taken to enable the miners and
operators to prepare written responses
to the presidents appeal. The imme-
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: eff any one knows
what the president will do next, that
is more than l know" 1t 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. 1t
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
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 d formal statement concerning
the proceedings of the conference
and it's results, in which he an
nounced that the strike would con-
Of hn 70 81
conference. ks.:5.
Little Hope in Legal Action.
The president as naturally disap-
pointed at the failure of his well-meant
efforts to bring about settlement of
the strike, but he is not discourage
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 May Be Called.
With legal action impossible and
military force out of the question,
there still remains to the president
the power to convene congress in ex-
traordinary session, and it would not
be surprising if this extreme remedy
should be resorted to, even upon the
eve OF an election. Just what con-
gress could or would do is as vet
matter of surmise. A law enforcing
compulsory arbitration would not be
unconst itutional, and in the present
state of public feeling would be
passed by congress in almost the
twinkling of an eye.