The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-08-12
Proposal Is Submitted at
Secret Conference with
Manufacturers.
MEETING OF BOSSES HERE
TONIGHT, LIKELY SEQUEL
MOffitt and Austen Colgate at
COnfab in Governors Sea
Girt Cottage.
From a stan correspondsnt.l

SEA GIRT, Aug. PA secret con-
ference between Governor Fort. Colonel
Austen Colgate. six nat nanufac-
turers and John A. Moffftt. pres
ident of the United Hatters of
North America. held here today. was
followed by persistent runor that the
end of the hat strike in Orange and in
Newark is in sight.
Every effort was taken to prevent it
being known that the conference had
been held, but the news leaked out and
was later confirmed.
The conference was arranged by
Colonel Colgate. who lives in Orange.
and is an assemblyman He has long
been trying to bring the striking hat
ters and their bosses together. and mis-
efforts bid fair to be realized according
to reports circulated after the confer
ence.
Inc hat manufacturers who were
mere We're the owners of the three big
gest nat factories in Orange-E. y
Comet & Co, F. Berg & Co. and the
no Name Hat Company and ]. Rum
NEIL Company, of Newark. The strike
Tor the recognition of the union label
is on at all these factories. The bosses
present were Eugene V. Connect. ir
ana h Connect, of the factory of that
name; John j. Booth and Charles r
Wllmot. of the No Name COMPANY.
frederick Berg, of F. Berg & Co. and
Jacob Rummell. owner of J. Runner
& Co.
4hls is Governors day. and in order
10 avoid the many visitors expected the
Governor made arrangements to receive
the hat manufacturers at an earlier
hour than usual.
Boss Hatters nt Fort Cottage.
The boss hatters came down on
morning train. accompanied by Colonel
Colgate. They at once went to the
Governors residence and there they
were met by Mr.. Fort.
During the conference that followed
President Mofitt slipped quietly into
Sea Girt. He, too, went TO the execu-
tive residence and was admitted to
the conference.
The details of what happened were
refused later by all concerned. but ii
was two hours before the conferees
adjourned. 1t was then said that the
Governor and Colonel Colgate had sub
mitted proposal to end the strike a
proposal in which both sides would
have to concede points. This plan was
debated vigorously, and it is UNDER
stood on reliable authority that the
conference concluded with the decision
OF the bosses to take the matter up
with the other manufacturers.
Assistant Attorney-General Nelson
B. Gaskil and Peter Backes, Of the
attorney-ge Office, were con-
suited by the Governor during the
morning and are understood to have
assisted in preparing the typewritten
proposition submitted
May Call Meeting Tonight.
Two of the conferees left here at 1e:se
o'clock, and 1t is understood that upon
their arrival in Newark they win i'm
mediately make arrangements for
meeting of the bosses tonight. It is
altogether likely, also, that President
Moffitt viii discuss the proposal with
his heutenants.
When the conferees emerged from the
Governors residence they all main
tanned a strict silence. Not one of then,
would admit that any proposal had
been submitted, and Governor Fort ana
Colonel Colgate were equally non-
conlmittal
President Moffitt said: 81 have nothing
TO say" He would not deny, however,
that the strike had been discussed and
a plan to end it considered.
AT noon. after the conference. the
hat manufacturers and President Mof-
NIT took luncheon with the Governor.
Mr.. Moffitt sat between Eugene V.
Connect, jr., and John J. Booth. and all
were very optimistic.
Two of the bosses were unable to re-
main for luncheon and left Immediately
after the conference. They were Fred
eriek Berg and Jacob Rummell.