The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-08-16
SOME LEADING EDITORIALS.
MIR. MoRGAN,s RESPONSIBILITY

MIR. MORGANtS' kESfONoiDi -
From the Philadelphia North American,
Nv rejecting President Shafers offer to arbitrate Mr.
Morgan must hencefprth the entire responsibility LOT inc
continuance of the strike. lie alone must be held account
able for all the consequences however eaamtous ,pa may
grow the OF the steel trust with It's WORK
men 1t matters nothing that President Skaters overtures
for amcahe adjustment came late They were sunm,teu
in good faith w NJ Leeds of the American I'm tlate
company, Mr. Morgans personal representative at
and communicated by him Mr. Morgan In fact President
Skaters arbitration nroposton was made nearly week be-
fore Mr., Morgan brought peace negotiations to an abrupt
close by his dentye refusal to entertain IT. his perenpo
~ teegraphic order to MIR Leeds This is no time to arp
ate becomes the signal for the extension OF the strike 10
all branches Of the steel trust
Mr. Morgan's act luninaes the situation greatly Either
President Shaer right from the start IN declaring hat
the steel trust seeking administer the death blow to
trades unonisn its mills MIR Morgan has lost all sense
of prudence and given his preudces in moment OF
passion either investors in steel trust securities
will scarcely thank him. Hitherto his reputation as money
making genius has been undsputed but few passed div
dends will seriously shake confidence of investors in him.
and without that confidence Mr. Morgans influence as a
syndicate manager will materially impaired 1t is still too
soon to with absolute posveness that the billion
dollar trust oated beyond danger of the mshaps
that attend ordinary business ventures Mr. Morgans habit
dictatorship has grown him until he appears to feel SUI
peror external circumstances. This would explain his
reconcab attitude toward the strikers Common business
discretion not Justice toward the of thou
sands OF employees the should compel recognition
mination OF the strike But instead of meeting their officials
spirit and courtesy he arroganty dehes them
do their He blame the if they read his
message that he proposes fight their organization
to extinction, and they spurred fresh eprsals By
rejecting President Skaters offer abitrae he has virtual
~ served only that he will grant
other than unconditional surrender but that the
have forfeited the right organization for seprotecton
which conceded them before the beginning of the
present struggle Whatever the of the strike wheh
the win lose this much certain The conviction
will he stronger than the wormen that the
ing OF capital gigantic combinations for the control of the
industries OF the country under centralized power makes it
imperative that labor shall organize the defense
Mr. Morgan has given trade unonism better reason ex
stence than had before his appearance "syndi-
manager"
How far Mr. Morgan is prepared 90 carry his point
against shown by the official announcement of
the American Tin Plate company of the companies with
in the steel that will down and dismante some
of the mills idle of the strike and them
to Monesson, where the organized The Nc
Koepor plant it is stated will be demolished and sold for
iron the capacity OF the Moncson mill being increased
to the No preeuse is made that the location
and equipment Of the McKecspor mill are not satisfactory
he reason for the changewch plainly avowed by the
steel trusts that the AmaIgamatcd association controls the
workmen McKeesport while Mouesson not urionized
he maneuycr is suggestive If the workmen in any mill
make trouble ny insisting upon their rights the an
nounces will throw them work razo its plant aud
move where it free have own way without regard to
other interests
It is not the employees OF the steee trust only who are
concerned in this policy of rule ruin McKcespor for
instance is now threatened with destructon Because Mr.
Morgan not to working agreement with his men
he proposes to destroy $4,000 people wipe out
property values with stroke his pen and close stores and
make homes uunababc by removing the source OF income
OF their owners Larger than those of the working
men in the mills OF tho involved in this policy of
absoiut'sm The fate OF entire communities is at stake If
the eNss within the stat, TO ruin cv like NcKee
port the question arises whether time for the State
to find means 10 protect its innocent citizens iron, the re-
veneeul power of enormous combinations capital which
acknowledge no authority of law or conscience