FROM DEATH

During the summer of 1902 two matters of great importance occurred in
which the whole people of our nation were deeply interested.

Early in May occurred tremendous volcanic eruptions on the islands of
Martinique and St. Vincent. At the former island, Mont Pelee threw such
a rain of fire upon the town of St. Pierre that the entire place, with
about thirty thousand people, was wiped out of existence in a minute. At
other points the eruptions were not so bad, yet hundreds lost their
lives, and all of the islands of the Lesser Antilles were thrown into a
state bordering upon panic.

It was felt that something must be done, and at once, for the sufferers,
and a large fund for relief was gathered, of which the Americans
contributed their full share. The volcanic disturbances continued for
some time, and as it was thought they might also cover certain portions
of Central America, nothing was done further concerning a canal to unite
the two oceans.

The other event of importance was the strike of thousands upon thousands
of coal-miners, working in Pennsylvania and other states. The miners did
not think they were being treated rightly and went out in a body, and
for many weeks not a pound of coal of any kind was mined. This produced
a double hardship, for people could get no coal either for the fall or
winter, and the miners were, in some cases, reduced almost to the verge
of starvation. Neither the workmen nor the operators of the mines would
give in, and soon there was more or less violence, and some soldiers had
to be called out in an effort to preserve order.

As matters went from bad to worse, and it looked as if the entire
eastern section of our country would have to go without coal for the
winter, there were loud demands that the government take hold of the
difficulty and settle the matter, if not in one way, then in another.

At last, early in October, the whole country was aroused, for it was
felt that with no coal a winter of untold suffering stared the people in
the face. President Roosevelt held a conference at Washington with the
mine operators and the representatives of the miners.

"We must get together, gentlemen," said he. "The country cannot do
without coal, and you must supply it to us." And he laid down the law in
a manner not to be misunderstood.

Another conference followed, and then a third, and at last the coal
operators asked the President to appoint a Commission to decide upon th