The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-12-05
Newspaper Writer'S Part in
Settling Coal Strike Of 1902
GREAT TACT AND FlNESSE
c. Arthur Williams Tells How the Wash
ington Correspondent Conducted Ne
gotiaticns Between John Mitchell
and ]. P. Morgan.

The parl that Walter Weliman. the
well known newspaper correspondent
played in the settlement of the anthra
cite coal strike Of 1902 is all the more
remarkable as indicating the various
fields Of activity in which Washington
correspondents sometimes operate,
says G. Arthur Williams il the neeem
Der Success Magazine III the early
days Of the strike George s. Perkins,
one Of ]. pieipont Morgan's partners
was discussing it with II II Kohlsaat.
the former owner q the paper Mr.
Wellman represents iii Washington.
Mr. Perkins expressed the opinion
that Roadway could be made toward
an adjustment Of the trouble Il some
tactful, reliable man could be secured
to conduct negotiations between Joan
Mitchell, the head Of the striking min.
ers. and the interests represented by
Mr.. Morgan. Mr.. Kohlsaat suggested
Mr.. Wellman. and that gentleman on
being approached by Nr Perkins con
scented 10 perform the service. he ac-
eordin2ly went to Wilkesbarre and
spent some time with Mi Mitchell
whose personal friend lie was and is
without particularizing i may be
said that after many conferences with
the strike leader and other Interested
persons Mr. Wellman went to New
York with the outline Of plan Of set.
Element to which Mr. Mitchell had Civ
en- his complete sanction. Consulta-
tons with members Of the Morgan
firm followed, and various phases q
the matter were discussed with the la'
Dor leader over the long distance tele-
phone. Then one day Mr. Mitchell tel
ephoned I'd Mr.. Wellman az the Wal
dorf- Astoria hotel In New York the ex-
act language Of his proposal which
the latter tottei down on piece DC m
per. The matter had to be typewrtt
ten before it's formal and final presen
tatlon to the other side Mi Wellmai
did not care to trust the document +
the hotel stenographer, and way gu
Of the difficulty was found when q
met a. Maurice low, another WASH
ington correspondent, IN the lobby
| The two men went to a writing room
! 4 typewriting machine was secured
ana the proposed plan Of settlement
was written out BIZ Mr.. Low at III
Wellman's dictation. It was then pre-
sented BIZ Mr.. WeIlInan To Mr.. Fcf
kins. and the latter laid it before th
operators. It's main feature was q pro
posal that oil the questions involves
In the strike should be submitted p
/ single arbitrator. whose decision shoul'
| be final. He was to have the right +
appoint a number of eonferees and T
| 70 with them into the merits ct III
case az thoroughly as he pleased, bu
| his Judgment was to be supreme IN %
| end. and both sides were 70 abide ..
it. When ii Is stated that the aFbitra
tor thus suggested WIS nome othe
than j. pierpoat Morgan himself It
not easy to understand why the Who'll
| plan was utterly rejected By the cap
talists But 1t was All negotiation
were afelarel 1T an end, and the hi'
tory uf their progress ana failure
here published fer Tie FIRST time.
Then President Roosevelt intereste
himself in the matter. and again IL
| Wellmans services were enlisted. Il
made frequent journeys between WI
kesbarre and New York and Washlnl
ton, and his diplomatic work undoubl
edly helped to bring about the agfes
ment By which the differences betWse
rapital and labor we're eventually =
ferred to the commission whose TINT
ings resulted III All anicable adlns
ment. During the last days Of the troi
bic Mr.. Wellman was eallei Oh 2
some Of the individual operators
conduct negotiations between thei
and Mr.. Mitchell with reference e ce
tain details Of interest to both paFae
Thus 1T different times during q
strike this Washington correspondent
! acted I'll & confidential capacity for
p. Morgan & ca. for John Mitchell
for the president and Tor the indiYidm