Finally，onOctober3，therepresentativesofboththeoperatorsandtheminersmetbeforeme，inpursuanceofmyrequest。TherepresentativesoftheminersincludedastheirheadandspokesmanJohnMitchell，whokepthistemperadmirablyandshowedtomuchadvantage。Therepresentativesoftheoperators，onthecontrary，camedowninamostinsolentframeofmind，refusedtotalkofarbitrationorotheraccommodationofanykind，andusedlanguagethatwasinsultingtotheminersandoffensivetome。Theywerecuriouslyignorantofthepopulartemper；andwhentheywentawayfromtheinterviewthey，withmuchpride，gavetheirownaccountofittothepapers，exultinginthefactthattheyhad“turneddown“boththeminersandthePresident。
Irefusedtoaccepttherebuff，however，andcontinuedtheefforttogetanagreementbetweentheoperatorsandtheminers。Iwasanxioustogetthisagreement，becauseitwouldpreventthenecessityoftakingtheextremelydrasticactionImeditated，andwhichishereinafterdescribed。
Fortunately，thistimeweweresuccessful。Yetwewereonthevergeoffailure，becauseofself-willedobstinacyonthepartoftheoperators。Thisobstinacywasutterlysillyfromtheirownstandpoint，andwell-nighcriminalfromthestandpointofthepeopleatlarge。TheminersproposedthatIshouldnametheCommission，andthatifIputonarepresentativeoftheemployingclassIshouldalsoputonalaborunionman。Theoperatorspositivelydeclinedtoacceptthesuggestion。TheyinsisteduponmynamingaCommissionofonlyfivemen，andspecifiedthequalificationsthesemenshouldhave，carefullychoosingthesequalificationssoastoexcludethosewhomithadleakedoutIwasthinkingofappointing，includingex-PresidentCleveland。TheymadetheconditionthatIwastoappointoneofficeroftheengineercorpsofthearmyornavy，onemanwithexperienceofmining，one“manofprominence。”“eminentasasociologist。”oneFederaljudgeoftheEasterndistrictofPennsylvania，andoneminingengineer。
Theypositivelyrefusedtohavemeappointanyrepresentativeoflabor，ortoputonanextraman。Iwasdesirousofputtingontheextraman，becauseMitchellandtheotherleadersoftheminershadurgedmetoappointsomehighCatholicecclesiastic。MostoftheminerswereCatholics，andMitchellandtheleaderswereveryanxioustosecurepeacefulacquiescencebytheminersinanydecisionrendered，andtheyfeltthattheirhandswouldbestrengthenedifsuchanappointmentweremade。Theyalso，quiteproperly，insistedthatthereshouldbeonerepresentativeoflaboronthecommission，asalloftheothersrepresentedthepropertiedclasses。Theoperators，however，absolutelyrefusedtoacquiesceintheappointmentofanyrepresentativeoflabor，andalsoannouncedthattheywouldrefusetoacceptasixthmanontheCommission；althoughtheyspokemuchlessdecidedlyonthispoint。Thelabormenlefteverythinginmyhands。
ThefinalconferenceswiththerepresentativesoftheoperatorstookplaceinmyroomsontheeveningofOctober15。HourafterhourwentbywhileIendeavoredtomaketheoperatorsthroughtheirrepresentativesseethatthecountrywouldnottoleratetheirinsistinguponsuchconditions；butinvain。ThetworepresentativesoftheoperatorswereRobertBaconandGeorgeW。Perkins。Theywereentirelyreasonable。Buttheoperatorsthemselveswereentirelyunreasonable。Theyhadworkedthemselvesintoaframeofmindwheretheywerepreparedtosacrificeeverythingandseecivilwarinthecountryratherthanbackdownandacquiesceintheappointmentofarepresentativeoflabor。Itlookedasifadeadlockwereinevitable。