The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-10-01
COAL MINERS STRIKE is
ANNOYING REPUBLICANS

Washington. September 2S.-(Special)-
Republican leaders fear that Haz!eton
l. ny prove their Homestead of 1900. The
great strike In the coal regions of Penn
s. lvania has filed them with apprehen-
sion and they make little attempt to con-
ceal their anxiety lest these labor troubles
may have sufficiently far reaching effect
TO defeat Mckinley.
In the light of the unsettled conditions
In the mining section with thousands of
men thrown out of employment. the
strike situation has overshadowed every
thing else in the estimation OF 3stute
politicians. The republicans are moving
heaven and earth for settlement. fol
they see In this strike the greatest Ia e.
mace to republican success.
The responsibility for republican defeat
I'm one national contest they have always
placed with the great Homestead strike
The memory of that experience still lin
gers about the republican hearthstone.
That memory and the peculiar condi-
tons surrounding The present troubles
make "A combination which they greatly
fear.
Hanna and the Coal Trust.
The extent Of this anxiety could not
find better Illustration than in the strenu-
Gus efforts of Chairman Hanna to Induce
the operators TO arbitrate with the men,
Hanna is evidently panics tricken. Were
he not were 1t not true that he is badly
ratified over the general outlook as well
as this particular phase OF the situation.
the national chairman would not have
taken step which many of his party as
sociates condemn and which certainly
seems bad political move.
For the chairman Of the national COM
mittee 10 rash post haste TO the head
satr 4rf 81 s>al 4vtr.f -
an intimacy Of relationship which is not
likely 60 he lost on the country. Il is as
If Mr.. Hanna had openly proclaimed to
the world his ability to advise and dire Il
the coal magnates because Of his position
as the head OF the political organization
which protects the trusts ana which they
are supporting. In return for his open de-
fcnse of the trusts. which ne first declares
do not exist and in the same breath
declares 10 be harmless" the chairman
Of the republican national committee is
urging that the trusts take a step which
he considers essential to republican sue
cess.
1t makes little difference what may be
the outcome OF Mr. Hanna's conference
with the coal trust magnates: he has al
ready given the laboring men of the cOun-
try an object picture of the position of
the republican party which they are not
likely to forget.
At Any Cost.
Senator Hanna IS anxious to put an end
to the strike at any cost. The coal trust
magnates have shown a disposition TO
decline his at-any-cost demands because
they have gone ipto this thing with the
determination th6t they are not only go
Ing to refuse recognition of the miners
union. but that they are going to crush
that organization once and for all time.
They agree with Mr.. @tara that II would
be well for the republican cause to have
the strike ended-fOr tho present at least
but they fear If they once recognize
the miners union. they wiz have to treat
with organized labor. rather than unor-
ganized labor. for all time to come. For
this reason they have 50 far declined to
accede to Mr.. Hauna's suggestions or de-
mands.
They would be perfectly willing TO make
some arrangement 10 tide over the cam
paisn but they 40 not propose to do This
"at any cost
The men are honestly anxious for arbl-
tration and settlement They believe they
have the right to speak through their or
gaui1atic- q are Insisting on that right.
When then union ds iskca TOR .he re-
dress al wrongs. IL mas been mcl WIFI "a
HAT rcfuSal OF CONSIDERATIONS Mhcn lNtN
as individuals have asked for the desired
redress they have been met with the
statement that they could not be con
sidered unless they all got together.
Ia other words, the Pennsylvania min
cr has been between the devil and the
deep sea. with no way on earth 10 secure
consideration from the wealthy operators.
He is striking for what he ConceiNes MS
rights and right or wrong, the senti-
mcnt of those i'm touch with the situation
Is with him.
The Republican Position.
As 70 Inc political effect of this strike.
the republicans seem 10 be between the
devil and the deep sea themselves. with
little chance Of securing such "A solution
as will be of any benefit TO them.
This strike. with the revelations it has
brought Of the full-of-wnd dinner pail of
the cempany-store ridden miner. IS a
mrid object lesson on prosperity lines
from which the republicans are suffering.
The effect of this thing is by no means
local. Pennsylvania. largely as the re-
suit Of the several hundred thousand ile-
sal republican votes east in Philadelphia
and Pittsburg. is the most solidly repub-
nCan state in the union. There is, of
course. no chance of the democrats max
ing any Roadway against the republicans
ga that state, even il every one OF the
democratic ticket But the prosperity OBJ
iect lesson taught by this strike is rem
dered particularly interesting and in
struc,iye from the fact that all this is
occurring iu Peuasylvania-the state of
all states which has been the greatest
beneficiary uf the republican high tariffs.
the state a. all the others most trust
ridden.
senator Hanna and his associates see
this and they are pulling every wire they
have on the trust maguJtes IL bring an
cnd to thc strike At once. They argue
that the most important and far-reaching
effect of il AN is 10 be found I'm the array
ing of the labor unions against the adj
ministration. which stands SO distinctly
for the trusts and they are begging with
an the cIoqucnce at their command that
the magnatcs come TO terms with their
men.
Violence the Next Step?
Failing in this. they Will, unless all
signs fan resort TO desperate methods.
Indeed. there are strong indications that
IA, agents Of the operators. who with the
railroads form the trust. are now at work
irving to fomeut trouble so as to put the
miners in an unfavorable light before
the country. The republican leaders
would rather have a prompt settlement.
even If only TO last over the November
election. but failing in that, they Will
unite with the operators in forcing the
miners % some step which Will warrant