Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 October 1902 — OPERATORS SPURN PEACE PROPOSALS [ARTICLE]

OPERATORS SPURN PEACE PROPOSALS

RefuM to Listen to Mitchell’s Offer, Made to Mr. Roosevelt, to Arbitrate. The great conference held between President Roosevelt, the coal operators and the representatives of the United Mine Workers’ association came to naught. The strike is no nearer a settlement than it was before the meeting of the operators. The conference failed because “the public be damned” was the attitude the operators assumed. The President appealed to them and to Mr. Mitchell as the representative of the miners to resume the operation of the mine* to meet the crying needs of the people. He appealed to their patriotism, “to the spirit that sinks personal considerations and makes individual sacrifices for the general good." President Roosevelt had no sooner finished reading his appeal than John Mitchell rose and offered to order the miners back into the mines to-mor-row and leave all differences between them and the operators to a board of arbitration selected by the President. He also stated that the miners would abide by any and all decisions by such a board of arbitrators, even should the decisions be against them on every point at issue. The coal operators took four hours to consider the President’s appeal and Mr. Mitchell’s offer. They then returned to the White House to announce that they would not treat with Mitchell or any board of arbitrators, nor would they recognize the right of Mitchell to make any suggestions to them through the President of the United States.