The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-08-14
SEND APPEAL
TO ROOSEVELT
President Asked to Inter
vene in Strike at
Once.
AT OYSTER BAY
Chicago Board of Trade Alarmed
Over Situation and Say Bust
ness Suffers.

Theodore Roosevelt, President Of the
United States. oyster Bay. Long Is
land, n. Y: The business of this great
country. which is suffering such seri-
fous loss to the extent of millions of
dollars per day on account of the dead
lock between the telegraph companies
and their employees. demands an i'm
mediate settlement of the differences at
issue so that a national catastrophe
may be averted.
In this great emergency we look to
the chief executive of this country to
take a personal hand.
HIRAM n. sAGER, President.
Board of Trade City of Chicago.
The above message was flashed over
the wires yesterday afternoon. thus
making the first direct appeal to the
nations chief executive to aid in re-
storing peace in the world Of tele-
graphy.
All Are Feeling Effects.
While the plea sprung from Chi
Cages great grain mart it was said
TO represent the sentiment Of the en-
tire business community Every line
Of trade is feeling the effects of the
strike. it was declared by board of
trade officials, and though Chicago
seemed to be bearing the brunt of the
losses, gradually the entire middle
west was being injured commercially.
Hence the directors of the board. in
formulating the message, emphasized
the possibility Of national catastro-
phe" unless the nations head inter
vened.
Something of decisive nature is ex-
pected from President Roosevelt today
Commissioner of Labor Neiu remained
in the city yesterday, but seemingly
did little in the way of peace negotia-
tions. His movements suggested that
he was merely investigating matters
and perhaps was awaiting word from
his chief
Act After Bad Day.
1t was at the close of an unsatis-
factory day on the board that the di-
rectors met and drafted the appeal
The meeting lasted forty five minutes
and was followed by the fling of the
message by President Sager.
THE trouble has reached such an
acute stage" said Mr. Sager, that it
Is now a subject of national concern
OF course the damage being done in
Chicago is serious enough. but it is
comparatively small when the injury to
all other sections of the country is
considered. The aggregate losses each
day must be tremendous.
Corn. oats and wheat have shrunk
materially in value since the strike
started, and unless the issues are de-
cisively determined business as a whole
VIII be completely demoralized Grain
continues to arrive in the city, but
there is little call for it.
Refuse to sJse Wall.
In the first place in the unsettled
condition of the market people are
not keen on buying anything Out of
town clients win not communicate an
order by mail to buy a certain pro
duct. Before the communication would
reach us. the order filed and a reply
mailed to the customer the market may
be cheaper or that certain product may
be of more value. Our client may
have wished to buy or sell a half dozen
times while the mail is being used fol
one order.
The leased wires we have are ir
use, but they have no way to reacl
out of town clients These wires mere
y communicate with correspondents
in other cities while orders from
clients reach us by delayed wire oil
telephone. During the day the tele-
phone business for song distance call.
has been in such congested con
dition that even this has become diff
ficult.
Because this strike is of nationa
scope we have decided to request tht
president to take action that would
result in a speedy settlement. I have
no doubt he is keeping in touch witt
the situation and l hope he win come
to the assistance of the interests tina
are being demoralized."