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| President Theodore Roosevelt. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, October 16, 1902.
STRIKE SETTLED.
Operators and Miners Have Reached Common Ground.
MINING WILL BE RESUMED.
President Has Named Sir Persons as Arbitration Commission.
Washington, Oct. 16.—The following official statement announcing the close of the strike was issued at the White House at 2:20 a. m.:
After a conference with Mr. Mitchell and some further conference with representatives of the coal operators the president has appointed the members of the commission to inquire into, consider and pass upon all questions at issue between the operators and miners in the anthracite coal fields:
Brigadier General John M. Wilson, U. S. A., retired, late chief of engineers U. S. A., Washington, D. C., as an officer of the engineer corps of either the military or naval service of the United States.
E. W. Parker, Washington, D. C., as an expert mining engineer. Mr. Parker is chief statistician of the coal division of the United States geological survey and editor of the Engineering and Mining Journal of New York.
Hon. George Gray, Wilmington, Del., as a judge of a United States court.
E. E. Clark, Cedar Rapids, Ia., grand chief of the Order of Railway Conductors, as a sociologist, the president assuming that for the purpose of such a commission the term sociologist means a man who has thought and studied deeply on social questions and has practically applied his knowledge.
Thomas H. Watkins, Scranton, Pa., as a man practically acquainted with the mining and selling of coal.
Bishop John L. Spaulding of Peoria, Ill. The president has added Bishop Spaulding's name to the commission.
Hon. Carroll D. Wright has been appointed recorder of the commission.
President Mitchell has called a meeting of the executive committee and the strike will be called off and mining resumed in two or three days.
Some of the members of the commission were named by Messrs. Sargent and Mitchell at their conference with the president yesterday and in later meetings last night. Mr. Sargent officially represented the mine union leader.
The first sign of a break-up of the conference was at 12:55 when Secretary Cortelyou came from the conference room and announced that an official statement of the situation would be made public soon.
Shortly after 1 o'clock Secretary Root came out laughing and happy and spread the glad tidings that a common ground of agreement between the operators and miners had been reached and that the strike was practically ended.
It was learned that the chief feature of the agreement was the adoption of a sixth member to the arbitration commission, the surmise following as a matter of course that the additional member would be more particularly a representative of labor.
It was said at the same time that now an agreement had been arrived at the president would insist on an immediate resumption of work at the mines and that he had reason to expect his advice would be followed promptly.
Messrs. Bacon and Perkins, partners in Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan's banking firm, were present at the final conference as the representatives of the operators. When the gathering broke up all present were in high good humor and there was a general exchange of congratulations.
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| Samuel Gompers. |
COUNTER PROPOSITION.
Drawn Up by Mr. Mitchell and Presented to the President.
Washington, Oct. 16.—The anthracite coal strike is not yet practically settled, but some progress has been made, and while there remain certain obstacles to be removed these, in the language of Secretary Root, it is believed can be removed and a termination of the strike finally secured. The principal of these obstacles is the composition of the proposed commission to arbitrate the differences between the miners and operators.
Mr. Mitchell indicated formally to President Roosevelt that the Mine Workers' union dissents from the restriction placed by the operators on the choice of the proposed arbitration tribunal and desires the president to have an absolutely free hand in the selection of members of the commission to be charged with an adjustment of future relations between the employers and employed.
He laid special stress in stating his objections on the proposition that one of the commission should be a judge from the Eastern district of Pennsylvania. He was very insistent in some of his objections which he voiced in what might he termed a counter-proposition to that of the operators.
After the president and the head of the miners' union had exchanged views freely and gone over this counter proposition of Mr. Mitchell's, a call was sent out by President Mitchell for a joint meeting today of the executive boards of the Mine Workers' union for the three anthracite districts of Pennsylvania.
At this meeting it is believed an agreement will be reached on a statement to be officially promulgated by the miners' union in response to the proposition from the operators.
Effort to Reconcile Differences.
President Roosevelt, having ascertained the views of Mr. Mitchell, at once communicated with the operators and initiated efforts to reconcile the differences developed and to have the operators make some further concessions, his aim being to reach a common accord between miners and operators whereby the labor dispute may be finally settled and mining of coal resumed.
At the conclusion of the conference Mr. Mitchell said that he had no information which he could give to the public. It was announced, likewise, at the temporary White House, that no official statement of the conferences would be made at this time.
When the last conference had been concluded, Mr. Mitchell left the White House and after a brief conference with President Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor and some local labor leaders, departed for Wilkes-Barre.
Mr. Mitchell's visit to Washington was by invitation of President Roosevelt, who asked the miners' president to come to Washington in order that they might discuss the terms of the proposition submitted to the president last Monday night by the anthracite coal railroad presidents.
While all the persons having knowledge of the details of the conferences are extremely reticent, enough is known to justify the statement that while a settlement of the strike was not reached, the conferences were not barren of tangible results. The discussion of the situation was entirely amicable. Mr. Mitchell was in a conciliatory mood and the president was zealous in his efforts.
At the first conference, which lasted from 11:50 a. m. until 12:55 p. m., the president and Mr. Mitchell discussed fully the proposition made by the operators for an arbitration commission. In a general way the miners' president indicated certain objections which he had to the proposition of the operators, but it is understood did not at that time present his objections in a formal statement.
At the conclusion of the first conference Mr. Mitchell walked over to the treasury department, where for two hours he remained closeted with Frank P. Sargent, commissioner of immigration, in the latter's office. During that time Mr. Mitchell communicated by long distance telephone with persons in New York and in Wilkes-Barre.
It is understood that at that time he called a meeting of the district mine presidents to be held In Wilkes-Barre today.
He discussed fully the strike situation with Mr. Sargent, with whom he has held a long time friendship. Mr. Sargent until recently having been president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, Commissioner Sargent has been an important factor in the efforts made by President Roosevelt to effect a settlement of the controversy between the miners and the operators and therefore was in a position to talk frankly with Mr. Mitchell.
Formulated Counter Proposition.
It is believed that at the conclusion of this conference, Mr. Mitchell had formulated a statement asking a counter proposition to that made by the operators. Later he presented this to the president going directly from Mr. Sargent's office to the White House at 3 o'clock for that purpose.
While no authorized statement of the counter proposition could be obtained it can be stated on excellent authority that Mr. Mitchell, in criticism of the proposition of the operators, took exception to the disparagement of the miners' union and to the limitation of the time in which, under the proposed agreement, there is to be no strike. His particular objection, however, was to the insistence of the mine owners that they should be permitted to designate the classes from which the arbitrators should be drawn by the president.
It is understood that he took a firm stand against this proposition, saying he was satisfied the miners would not submit to any arbitration which would not be arbitration in fact as well as in name.
He urged that this would not be the case if one side to the controversy were afforded the advantage of naming the classes from which the arbitrators were to be appointed. He expressed himself as being as anxious as ever for arbitration, but planted himself squarely on the proposition that the president should be allowed to name the arbitrators without any restrictions or limitations made either by the miners or by the mine owners.
It is understood also that the wording of the mine operators' proposition, omitting any reference to the miners' union, does not meet Mr. Mitchell's approval. He desires, if possible, to obtain some formal recognition of the union, although that is a technicality which he may waive subsequently, as by an agreement to arbitrate the controversy the miners will get a general recognition of their organization. Mr. Mitchell also expressly opposed the restriction made in the operators' proposition limiting the selection of a federal judge as one of the arbitrators to a particular jurisdiction.
It was stated on excellent authority, although not the president or Mr. Mitchell, that President Roosevelt agreed to present Mr. Mitchell's contention to the operators. It is believed that this will be the next step taken.
Mr. Mitchell assured the president of his anxiety to end the strike, but said that the miners were firm in their position and that he could not afford to sanction any imposition that would sacrifice their interests at this time. He was willing, however, to overlook minor objections and indicated his intention to demand only an arbitration board which should be selected fairly with respect equally to the interests of both parties to the controversy.
While the feeling among those who are familiar with the position taken by Mr. Mitchell is not rich in optimism, it is believed generally that the differences existing between the miners and operators will be resolved finally. It is said that while it may take a few days to bring them together the belief is universal that the negotiations now pending will terminate the strike.
The events of the day leading up to the present situation were entirely devoid of sensations or of dramatic incidents. Comparatively few people knew of the coming of President Mitchell, and as he is not known generally in Washington his appearance attracted little attention. He came by invitation of the president. He arrived on the Pennsylvania railroad at 11:27 o'clock. He was not accompanied by the district mine presidents, as he was on the trip of October 3, his only traveling companion being a newspaper correspondent who accompanied him from Wilkes-Barre.
Mr. Mitchell's second conference with President Roosevelt lasted just 35 minutes. He was ushered into the president's office at 3:10 p. m. and left the White House at 3:45. He boarded a Pennsylvania avenue car and went directly to the office of President Gompers of the Federation of Labor. There he met Mr. Gompers and Mr. James Duncan, vice president of the Federation of Labor, and several other labor leaders. Their consultation necessarily was brief, as Mr. Mitchell desired to leave on the first train for Wilkes-Barre. Mr. Gompers and Mr. Duncan accompanied Mr. Mitchell to his train, the three walking close together and chatting earnestly.
Shortly after Mr. Mitchell left the White House, Secretary Root arrived and soon afterward the president and secretary left on an extended drive. As the president passed through the hall of the White House to the carriage he used one crutch to assist him in walking. To a group of newspapermen he remarked cheerily, that he hoped in a day or two to be able to discard the crutch.
Referring to his injured leg he said that that was the least of his troubles. He declined to make any statement regarding the conferences with Mr. Mitchell.
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| John Mitchell. |
MITCHELL ACCEPTS.
Gives Personal Approval to Settlement.
ORGANIZED LABOR REORGANIZED.
Mine Workers' President Gives Out Statement Accepting the Arbitration Commission Appointed by President Roosevelt.
Wilkes-Barre, Oct. 16.-- At 10 o'clock this morning President Mitchell gave out the following statement, accepting the arbitration commission appointed by President Roosevelt:
Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Oct. 16, 1902.
"Appreciating the anxiety and impatience of the public and the mine workers for some authoritative statement from this office, I issue this bulletin to say that I was unalterably opposed to the acceptance of or acquiescence in the form of settlement proposed by the coal operators because it restricted the president of the United States in selecting the men who were to determine the questions involved in the strike. Those restrictions having been removed and a representation given to organized labor as well as to organized capital, I am now prepared to give my personal approval to a settlement of the issue involved in this strike by the commission selected by the president; and shall recommend to the executive officers of districts 1, 7 and 9 in their meeting today, that an immediate call be issued for a convention, whose authorization is necessary to declare the strike at an end.
"In the meantime I trust that the people of our country will be as patient as possible, as we are moving as rapidly as the interests of our people will permit.
"John Mitchell, President, United Mine Workers of America."
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