Arizona republican., 1906-02-27
PRESIDENT
 TAXES PART
Urges Settlement of the
 Goal Controversy
A Letter to President Mitchell as a Result of Which the 1ine Wor- Eers Will Re.assemble.


 New York, Feb. 26-Presidenc Roosevelt has again intervened as a peacemaker between the coal miners and operators, and as a result Of a let ter addressed by him to John Mitchell, president of the United Mine Workers of America, a national convention of the united miners will be held March 15, to try to reach an agreement with the soft coal operators in the hope of averting the threatened strike Of April l, in the bituminOus coal fields.
 The presidents letter and the an nOuncement that the national conven- ton will be called were made public tonight by MT. Mitchell after a long conference with Francis L. Robbins, president of the Pittsburg Coal com pany and chairman of the bituminous operators who came to New York this morning.
 Also present at this conference were w. C. Perry of the Southwest Coal association and B. H. Bush, represent ing the soft coal interests allied with the Gould railroads.
 The presidents letter to MT. Mitchell follows: 'I note with very great con cern the failure of your late convention nn the joint interstate agreement to come to a basis of settlement of the bituminous mining scale of wages. YOu !'I this business have enjoyed a great industrial peace for many years thanks io the joint trade agreement that has resulted in the action of your success sive conventions
 "A strike such as is threatened on April l. is a menace to the peace and general welfare of the country. I urge you to make a further effort to avoid sTIeh a calamity.
 "You and MT Robbins are joint chairmen of the trade agreement com Inittee on the National Civic I-edera- ton and it seems to me that this re- poses an additional duty upon you both and serves an additional reason why each of you should join in making a further effort.
 ''Very respectfully,
 THEODORE ROOSEVEaLT.
 The conference did not adjourn un- til nearly 8 o'clock tonight. when MT Mitchell announced that after the read in Of President Roosevelt's letter it was agreed both by himself and the operators that the national conventiosi should be called. The miners were in session recently at Indianapolis 1IIIs failed to reach an agreement with ta@ operators. President Mitchell himseIg has been quoted as saying that so f4s as he knew there would certainly be a strike in the bituminous fields April l.
 The negotiations for an agreement between the hard coal workers and the anthracite operators have been pro gressing smoothly to all outward ap pearance and arrangements have been made for a joint conference Wednes- day between the sub hay ing the settlement of the difficulties in hand. With the anthracite negoti- ations we'll under way President Mitchell has been devoting most of hi, time to bringing about a settlement or the differences in the soft coal regions.
 MT. Mitchell has not announced any details of tOday's conference nor di.I he say just when the call for the con- vention. which will fix the place of meeting. will be sent out. March 15. he believes is the earliest date the con- ventioR can be summoned, and he be- lieves that if there is to be peace, tlle two weeks between the date fixed fc- the miners assembly and April 1, when the present agreement with the opera tors expires, is sufficient time to bring about the desired result. MT. Mitchell would not indicate what new propOsi- tions will be placed before the miners but significance is attached to his statement that the operators at today's conference agreed that the convention should be called. Concessions may be on both sides, will be offered and President Roosevelt's interest in tf,.. situation will be held as an additional reason for bringing about a new agree- ment.