The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-15

/ terests Of our organization and the vel
fare Of our people.
"As a result of these meetings we
came to believe that there had been
such changes IN the coal trade or at
least Ia the attitude Of many operators
as to Justify the hope that there was a
possibility of reaching an agreement
provided the joint conventions were re-
sumed.
Aside, however. from my own i'm
pressions and the Impressions of those
of my colleagues with whom I CON
suited the following letter from the
president of the United States ad-
dressed to Mr.. Robbins and to me,
seemed sufficient justification to war
rant ourselves and our employers in
making another effort to reach an
agreement;
ROosevelt's Letter.
The White House, Washington,
February "A, 1906.
'Sir-I note with very great con
Germ the failure in your late convcn-
ton on joint interstate agreement to
come to a basis Of settlement of the
bitumlnous mining scale of wages.
You in this business have enjoyed a
great individual peace for many years.
thanks to the joint trade agreement
that has resulted from the action of
your successive conventions. A strike
such as is threatened on April l. is a
menace to the peace, the business in
terests and the general welfare of the
country. 1 urge YOU to make another
effort to avert such a calamity You
and Mr.. Robbins are joint chafrmen
OF the trade agreement Of the National
civic Federation. It seems to me
that this imposes an additional duty
upon you both and gives an additional
reason why each of you Should join in
making this further effort
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Il take this occasion to report Of
nclally that the operators Of both the
central competitive and the south
WeSt ern nelds have called meetings of
their representatives to be held in this
city on Monday morning, March 10.
While OF course the many conflict
ing and inharmOniOus statements erna-
mating from various sources purpOrtfng
to reflect the views Of operators seem
to indicate an entire absence of unity
and concord among them in regard to
the question Of advancing wages. I am
nevertheless hopeful if not fully con
vinced that the urgency and serious
ness Of the situation will prompt them
to make such reasona BILE concessions
in the matter of wages and conditions
as VIII enable US to join them in the
r6ha blitatiOn of our joint mOvement
and the perpetuation of the practical
business relationship under which we
nave worked with mutual advantage
during the past eight years. And to
this end I feel it incumbent upon me
TO say that a very large degree of re
spOnsibility viii rest upon US If these
proposed negotiations lead to success.
'As to the power and scope of the
convention you have undoubtedly
noted from the call which was issued
by your international secreta ry-treas-
urer that while the principal purpose
Of the meeting is to consider our wage
agreements. its functions are ont con
fined to the one subject It may in ad-
ditiOn thereto transact such other busi-
ness as may be lawfully brought be
fore It.
I'm the consideration and discussion
OF all matters coming before the con-
venuon # IS my earnest hope that
acrimonious debate Will be entirely
eliminated and that we shall stand
united IN an earnest effort to serve our
people and to secure for them a larger
measure of the fruits of their toll, that
when we leave Indianapolis our organ
izatfOn may have regained any prestige
lost as the result Of the internal dis
sension and that even those unfriendly
TO labor may be satisfied that the
United Mine Workers of America is a
sane, just business association whose
highest purpose is not to achieve vic
tories by means Of It's great strength,
but rather through the inherent justice
that lies in the cause 1t represents