Evening star., 1900-10-05


ers and through them master OF their en-
ployers. Thus, hts present role Is easily to
be understood in the light OF his past
achievements.
The power of a man In this position Is
beyond calculation, but it is power for evil.
rather than for good. For the harm he
must necessarily do in order to gain his
ends will far more than offset the advan-
tages which successful striking may bring
to the miners themselves. Even now the
miners clamoring for aid from the
strike committees. Their own funds are
becoming exhausted, and 1t will soon be in
order to observe how fully prepared the
general union was for it's great battle. If
the strike is greatly prolonged intense suf-
fering must result in the anthracite regions.
Already hard coal is at a premium in
this city, and the coal dealers are alarmed.
1t is freely stated that even though the
strike is settled before cold weather sets in
there will be trouble in supplying the de-
mand throughout the season, for it will be
Impossible, after the mines are reopened
Tor the wholesalers to catch up with the
accumulated orders, and there will be
shortage until the demand begins to fall
on with the advent OF warm weather.
Thus, there is prospect here of serious dis
advantages accruing to the people from
this strike. although the residents Of
Washington, as Of other cities. have no
part in the affair and are in no wise respon-
sible for the conditions leading to 1t.
English and American Wage-Earners.
There is no feature of the English cleo
tions more noteworthy, or more assuring
to the well-being Of the British empire,
than the rallying Of the wage-earners to
the support of the government. The oppo-
sidon had counted upon either open disaf-
fection or lukewarmness on their part. In
stead of that the masses are in line for
Lord Salisbury and all that he represents
They indorse his record UP to date, and
they regard it as best for the empire that
such of his policies as are as yet incom-
plete should be completed under. his direc-
ton. They want him TO have a free hand
in the premises, and the large majority that
awaits him in the new parliament is large
ly the work of their loyalty and enthu-
siasm.
The appeal to the English workingmen
at the opening Of the South African war by
the Little Englanders was pitched in this
key: This is not your fight. Keep out of
it, Refuse to enlist Refuse to support a
scheme organized by a few plutocrats with
their greedy eyes fixed on diamond mines
and gold mines. War means death to thou
sands, besides heavy increase of taxes
which you must help pay. Frown upon the
whole business. and in that way force an
early compromise. If the government is
reduced to conscription to fill up the fight
ing ranks the end will speedily come.
The English workingmen scorned the pu-
sillanimous suggestion. They we'll under
stood that humiliation for England meant
humiliation for themselves. The flag had
been fired upon. and the flag was as dear to
them as to the proudest aristocrat in the
realm So they rushed 10 it's defense. They
offered themselves for service by the thou
sands. They were eager to show that pa
triotism in England was as high among the
masses as among the classes, and that they
were not only willing to increase the taxes
but to shed blood in what was now indis-
putably the country's cause. How we'll they
fought the whole world knows. And now
their associates who remained at home
sustain by their votes at the polls what
has been done in the field Of war in Eng
lands honor by English arms.
VIII the American workingmen do less at
the polls next month for the government
which they helped to elect, whose policies
a. home and abroad they have helped shape
and been benefited by, and whose aim it Is
to carry those policies during the next four
years to a helpful and logical conclusion?
They indorsed the war with Spain, they
were among the bravest Of those who con-
quered Spain, and the proposition now is
that we garner for the general welfare
the fruits of that victory.