New-York tribune., 1903-06-18
PRESIDENT INDICATED.
By MINERS AGREEMENT.
He Urgently Desires Peace Betreen
CapitaI and Labor.
rrRov THF TRIBUNE BUREAu.l

wsshington. June 1I--Secretary Cortelyou
made the following statement in reply to an in
ouiry by The Tribune correspondent to-day;
The administration is deeply gratffed mt
the outcome of the meeting of miners ht
Scranton and the understanding reached De-
tween them and the operators as repre-
seuted by John Mitchell and President Baer.
n 4. a fitting result the work begun by
President Rocseve1t when he secured the
consent of both sides to the appointment of
the strike Commission. and represents. in Its
conservative treatment of an enbarrassfhG
situation, the substantial advance tha' nus
been made in the adjustment of difficulties
between employers and employees
In this carefully considered and authoritative
statement is defined the Presidents whole atti-
tude toward capital and labor. He feels that
when year ago. he interfered in the aTtfFa-
s,ite cosl strike he acted in an extraordinary
eroergency when the country verged on riot
o,ls condition which gave promise OF being the
most serious upheaval in its recent history.
People were cold and in some instances hungry;
ordinarily Iaw-abiding men were being driven to
unlawful and desperate methods to secure one
Of the greatest necessaries Of life; laboring men
were agitated almost TO fever heat. and under
these conditions he interposed and secured a
peaceful settlement of the difficulty. Men on the
East SIDE OF New-Tork were tearing palings
from the fences to burn them. and Ohio farmers
men who under normal conditions are the last
20 violate the law-were stopping coal trains and
conhscating the fuel they needed Had the
Presidents interposition proved sufficient only
10 tide the country over that period. the gravity
Of which few realized. Mr.. Roosevelt would
have counted his interposition success.
WISDOM OF HIS COURSE CONFIRMED.
Now, however. when President Baer and Pres
.dent Mitchell have again come together and
reached q peaceful settlement Of another threat
ening situation, President Roosevelt feels that
his action has been doubly vindicated. His ad-
visers see In this settlement nothing but con-
arnation OF the wisdom of his former policy
Men WIN believed their interests TO be widely
opposed were then brought together and shown
that fheir Interests were identical by the good
Offices Of the President. Now they have volun-
tarfly come together on the same lines. followed
the same precedent, and have saved the country
from another disastrous coal strike, inimical TO
their own interests, and an untold haroshp u
fhe consumers throughout the United States.
Bad this later demonstration Of the success
OF peaceful methods Of adjustment not occurred
the President would still have felt proud OF MS
mart or securing arbitration last year. He has
been in no way disturbed by the criticisms H.
dulged in by those who have suggested that
his interference at that time was unwarranted
and would tend only to increase the arrogance
Of labor organizations and give encouragement
IN strikers 10 maintain an irreconcilable conflict
with capital.
Before the Intervention OF the President last
wear the miners and the mine operators were
in attitude OF most intense hostility, with ap-
pzrently no disposition on either side to make
concessions. The interviews between the Presi-
dent the mine operators. and Mr.. Mitchell at
the white House were characterized at first oy
marked infexibity, especially on the part Of the
orerators And the manifestations of irritation
te--een the two parties 10 the controversy. even
after an agreement for arbitration had been Sc
,,,-e6 zrere such as 10 indicate the great diff
o,,,,,- ~ bringing capital and labor into such
coalition t,f mutual understanding as would en-
.hls se,flen,ent of the dispute by rational and
co,,,y,,or sanse methods Yet, with another dis
,,,,,o threatening 10 he as grave that of last
,,esr = strike seeming imminent. the miners
have assembled I'm conference. and, under the
inNuence Of President Mitchell. have themselves
voted against strike and taken such action
&C would seen, 10 assure settlement without
injury "a public business while Mt Mifcheh
and Arr Bser who have appeared as irreconeil-
able opponents. both express satisfaction with
the situation.
+, * fel, by the President that this situation
g far 4roy, indicating that his part in interfer-
ing between capital and labor is going 10 be
fruitful of discomfort and encourage stflkeS 10
the detrirent Of capital
PUNISHMENT FOR ALL LAWBREAKERS.
A dav or two ago the President was denounced
nv = miners association in the West for
Continued sixth page
I,(C.C,-O MOUNTAIN SPECIAL