Greenwood daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1919-1926, 1920-01-05
PLANNED SETTLE
STRIKE OF 1902
Only Two Members ROosevelt's Cab
met Knew OF His Outline For
Stopping Anthracite Strike.
Associated Press

published details of the drastic"
plan President Roosevelt had decided
to adopt to settle the anthracite
strike of 1902, said to have been
known only to two members of his
cabinet and few persons who were
to take part in it's execution appear
in the fifth installment of the Col
oneps own letters edited by Joseph
Bucklin Bishop in the January issue
of Scribner's Magazine. The article
also gives some intimate sidelights
on Roosevelt's attitude toward union
labor.
After 20 persons had been killed
and about 40 injured during the riot
ing in the coal fields and the ap-
proach of winter brought with it the
prospect of nationwide fuel fam
inc, the mayors of large cities and
governors of several states appealed
to the President. Mr.. Bishop says,
to interfere in the interests of the
public welfare and safety. Accord
ing to his biographer, Mr.. Roosevelt
had decided, in case the operators
persisted in their refusal to accept a
commission, ITO assume powers which
give him" and to use the United
States army to suppress all violence
and disorder.
Writing to Robert Bacon on Octo-
Der S, 1902, shortly after a conference
in Washington of the mine operators
and the strike leader, the late John
Mitchell, in a futile effort to settle
the trouble by the appointment of a
commission of investigation or arbi-
tration, he said:
"The situation is bad, especially be-
cause it is possible it may grow in
finitely worse. If when the severe
weather comes on there is a coal FAM
inc, dread to think of the suffering
in parts of our great cities especial
ly, and / fear there will be fuel riots.
of as bad type as any bread riots
we have ever seen. Of course once
the rioting has begun, once there is
a resort to mob violence, the only
thing to do is to maintain order. 1t
is dreadful thing to be brought facs
to face with a necessity of taking
measures however unavoidable
which will mean the death of men
who have been maddened by want and
suffering"
In a letter to Senator Lodge he
wrote that he was feeling" his way
to solve the difficulty and was deter,
mined not to be drawn into any 'vio-
lent step which would bring reaction
and disaster afterward." At anothe,
time, he said: "Most emphatically
shall not compromise with lawless
ness. l have been told on excellent
authority, that the disorder has beer
very great and of an evil kind. Or
equally good authority, I am told th'
exact contrary. l shall speedily fine
out for myself. I stand against so
cialism; against anarchic disorder"
Colonel Roosevelt's drastic" plal
of action which Mr.. Bishop says h
makes public with the late President
permission and authority, included hi
appointment of an investigating o
arbitrary commission without regart
to whether or not the operators ask
ed for it or agreed to abide by it
decisions. He asked ex-Presiden
Cleveland in case he were to appoin
such commission, if he would &C
cept a place on it, and, according t
Mr.. Bishop, Mr.. Cleveland replied ia
orably.
"This commission was only par
of the Presidents plan, says MI
Bishop. 1.-THE investigation which
was to conduct would take time. L
order that mining operations Nigh
be resumed as speedily as possible
the President consulted with Senate
Quay, who was all-powerful in Penn
sylvania politics ,and was assured b.
him that whenever the President de
sired him to do so he would have tn
governor of the State notify the Pres
ident that he could not keep order i
the coal region and needed federal in
reference.
Tne President then informed Ma
Tor General John NJ. Schofield that i
case Of fedev-l interference he wish
ed 10 send him to the coal region
with the regular army troops wit
Instructions to act as receiver of tn
mines, take full charge, put down q
3 nlnr