SogreatwasthatpublicinterestintheCoalStrikeof1902，sodeeplyandstronglydidIfeelthewaveofindignationwhichsweptoverthewholecountrythathadInotsucceededinmyeffortstoinducetheoperatorstolistentoreason，Ishouldreluctantlybutnonethelessdecisivelyhavetakenastepwhichwouldhavebroughtdownuponmyheadtheexecrationsofmanyof“thecaptainsofindustry。”aswellasofsundry“respectable“newspaperswhodutifullytaketheircuefromthem。Asamanshouldbejudgedbyhisintentionsaswellasbyhisactions，Iwillgiveherethestoryoftheinterventionthatneverhappened。
Whilethecoaloperatorswereexultingoverthefactthattheyhad“turneddown“theminersandthePresident，therearoseinallpartsofthecountryanoutburstofwrathsouniversalthatevensonaturallyconservativeamanasGroverClevelandwrotetome，expressinghissympathywiththecourseIwasfollowing，hisindignationattheconductoftheoperators，andhishopethatIwoulddevisesomemethodofeffectiveaction。InmyownmindIwasalreadyplanningeffectiveaction；butitwasofaverydrasticcharacter，andIdidnotwishtotakeituntilthefailureofallotherexpedientshadrendereditnecessary。Aboveall，IdidnotwishtotalkaboutituntilandunlessIactuallyacted。IhaddefinitelydeterminedthatsomehoworotheractIwould，thatsomehoworotherthecoalfamineshouldbebroken。Toaccomplishthisenditwasnecessarythattheminesshouldberun，and，ifIcouldgetnovoluntaryagreementbetweenthecontendingsides，thatanArbitrationCommissionshouldbeappointedwhichwouldcommandsuchpublicconfidenceastoenableme，withouttoomuchdifficulty，toenforceitstermsuponbothparties。
Ex-PresidentCleveland’sletternotmerelygratifiedme，butgavemethechancetosecurehimasheadoftheArbitrationCommission。Iatoncewrotehim，statingthatIwouldveryprobablyhavetoappointanArbitrationCommissionorInvestigatingCommissiontolookintothematteranddecideontherightsofthecase，whetherornottheoperatorsaskedfororagreedtoabidebythedecisionsofsuchaCommission；andthatIwouldaskhimtoacceptthechiefplaceontheCommission。Heansweredthathewoulddoso。Ipickedoutseveralfirst-classmenforotherpositionsontheCommission。
MeanwhiletheGovernorofPennsylvaniahadallthePennsylvaniamilitiaintheanthraciteregion，althoughwithoutanyeffectupontheresumptionofmining。ThemethodofactionuponwhichIhaddeterminedinthelastresortwastogettheGovernorofPennsylvaniatoaskmetokeeporder。ThenIwouldputinthearmyunderthecommandofsomefirst-rategeneral。Iwouldinstructthisgeneraltokeepabsoluteorder，takinganystepswhateverthatwasnecessarytopreventinterferencebythestrikersortheirsympathizerswithmenwhowantedtowork。IwouldalsoinstructhimtodispossesstheoperatorsandruntheminesasareceiveruntilsuchtimeastheCommissionmightmakeitsreport，anduntilI，asPresident，mightissuefurtherordersinviewofthisreport。Ihadtofindamanwhopossessedthenecessarygoodsense，judgment，andnervetoactinsuchevent。HewasreadytohandinthepersonofMajor-GeneralSchofield。Isentforhim，tellinghimthatifIhadtomakeuseofhimitwouldbebecausethecrisiswasonlylessseriousthanthatoftheCivilWar，thattheactiontakenwouldbepracticallyawarmeasure，andthatifIsenthimhemustactinapurelymilitarycapacityundermeascommander-in-chief，payingnoheedtoanyauthority，judicialorotherwise，exceptmine。
Hewasafinefellow——amostrespectable-lookingoldboy，withsidewhiskersandablackskull-cap，withoutanyoftheoutwardaspectoftheconventionalmilitarydictator；butinbothnerveandjudgmenthewasallright，andheansweredquietlythatifIgavetheorderhewouldtakepossessionofthemines，andwouldguaranteetoopenthemandtorunthemwithoutpermittinganyinterferenceeitherbytheownersorthestrikersoranybodyelse，solongasItoldhimtostay。