Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-17

must also state whore the paper u now for.
varaea.
Advertisements from 10 to % cts. per line
THE E.lNTELLlGkECER,
Lancaster. Pa
spTe,ephons Connection.
mr.. Corbin's unhappy Pen.
President Corbin takes occasion to reply
At length to letter from persons at st.
Clair asking for the reinstatement Of the
Reading c1mpany's striking employees |;
nanifestly desiring to emphasizes the fact
that the company has defeated the strik.
ers and that It's policy forbids It to 70 EN-.
ploy them to the end that hereafter all
its employees may know that when they
strike and are unsuccessful, employment
with the company cannot be again OBJ.
tained by them. Mr.. Corbin states it
70 bc his belief and his intention that the
employees of his company shall never be
strong enough to dictate to him.
There is no doubt whatever that this Is
Mr.. Corbin's intention and belief and 1t
seems to be also true that 1t will aid his
purpose to refuse to take back striking
employees.
But 1t Is not altogether plain that
Mr.. Corbin does refuse TO do this to all
his striking employees. He seemingly
makes what he considers to be o judicip4s
selection among the classes ct h:sem-
ployes who are to be treated in this firm
and inasterful way. He SO treats the
Railroad employees, because he can he
does not 30 treat his miners because he can
mot.
Mr.. Corbin's letter has very crush
Ing aud victorious ring TO 1t, which seems
warranted when we remember that the
strike of his railroad employees has been a
failure and that he has been able to Be-
cure other men to take their places. But
when we note that all his striking miners
were taken back, and by express stipula-
tion and covenant made with the leader
Of their order, who came from Ohio to
make 1t and was not even an employe Of
Mr.. Corbin's company, 1t does not
seem that the air Of triumph and the
incorporating tone Of Mr.. Corbin's
letter to the St. Clair petitioners
10 quite SO we'll justified. 1t is altogether
clear that Mr.. Corbin will not permit his
employees to do anything that he does not
want them to do, IL he thinks that
he can help 1t !; and that when he
knows that he cannot, he yields as read.
lily and as completely as he must.
Mr.. Corbin is from Yankee land and
has Yankee ways; and one of those ways
Il TO seem, If you cannot be, and to avoid
the truth when it is convenient. His
feryent desire undoubtedly is to break up
labor organizations on his road, and II
was " tn this intent he started into a
melee with his railroad and mining EN-
ployes at one time. Having overcome
the railroad employees, he writes tC
them at st. Clair that they cannot come
back because they have attempted "a
meddle with his business, though he has
no objection to labor organizations who
do not meddle with him. In view OF the
fact that be took back the miners, by
declare objection to labor organizations
but presumptively he would have the st.
Clair men think that the miners were
not medjlers, and therefore could come
back; though to the general apprehen.
sion the difference in the degree of the
meddling of the two labor organizations
b not apparent. It is, however, ap-
parent that Mr.. Corbin could not
get other miners to take the
places OF the striking ones, but
could get other railroaders; and we do
not suppose that any one will have any
trouble In concluding that Mr.. CoIbin
had q mental reservation in his declara.
tion, that " any man that leaves our ser.
vice upon the order OF labor organiza
tion with the view OF enforcing his de.
mAnds by strike, will not be allowed tc
return to 1t again unless such organiza
tion shall be strong enough to take pos
session Of our property, operate it in its
own interests and against the interests
and in defiance Of the wishes of its
owners"
He evidently does not intend to admit
that his miners have obtained such con
troll Of his property as he goes on to Say
that sit ismy belief, asst is my intention
that the time will be good distance
In the future when such a condition O
things will prevail on this road. 4"
The suggestion which occurs to us il
whether it would not be better for grea
companies, like the Reading, if thei
president would be honest and truthful
in his dealing with its men, and at leas
avoid self-evident falsehood. Mr.. Corb'l
may be justified, in his view Of good policy
in not only " downing" his men, but il
holding them down by the throat wher
he has them there. His fight is agains
labor organization and it will be good TO
him IL be can win. But he dos no. hur
labor organization much when he treat
his miners with distinguished considera
tion. He only shows the railroaders thai
they did not MAKE their organiz lti oI
strong enough.