The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-22
Circulation Statement
The Strike and Politics.

There was nothing in the way Of de- (
velopments on sunday to indicate any T.
cleavage in the strike lines. Both sides .
apparently continue determined and I.
confident There are evidences that the /
trust is pursuing a cautious policy and /
will not invite conflict with the strik- /
ers until it is well prepared to meet /
them. That there Will be serious COLI !
sioTs If the situation remains as at |
present is suggested in the course Of /
the AmaIsamated Association men at !
McKeesport yesterday, who, before !
daylight were called out of he'd and /
swarmed TO the riverside in order 10 !
prevent the landing Of a force Of non /
union men who had been reported as
approaching the town by boat But
nothing of the kind happened.
In a statement made by President
Shaffer yesterday. he declared it to be
the duty of President Mckinley and
the Administrator TO sit down hard on
Mr. J. PierDont Morgan and his asso-
ciates, and compe! them to submit to
the demands OF the strikers. He ar
gued that the Administration is all
powerful - and that were it to threaten
the steel corporation with antitrust
legislation next winter the Wall Street
magnates would be obliged TO come TO
terms at once The language employed
by Mr.. Shafter evidently was intended
as threat 10 the Republican manag-
ers that unless they busy themselves
to support the men their party viii lose
the labor vote. There is no doubt that
shrewd, practical politicians like M
Mckinley and Mr.. Hanna are greatly
worried over the condition CT affairs
and would be only too glad 10 exert
their influence for a settlement and
peace if there were any way by which
they. could secure such d solution They
understand as we'll as Mr.. Shaffer can
that the strike Is liable to affect the
Ohio elections adversely 10 their PoIiti-
cal interests. They know, also, that
there is little they can hope to 90 in
the premises. Unfortunately for Ihem
and their party, what the strike leader
says about tie "aIl-powerfuI" Admin
istration is arrant nonsense. It does in
appearance dominate the legislative
branch OF the Government, but is only
able 20 do so when acting as the 20
litical agent Of the real masters Of
Congress ana Ihc s-->..atrgT. vs-Tln
Morgan. Rockefeller, HavemeyeT, Still
man. and a few others Of that ilk-
Should the executive branch attempt
to procure legislation unIavoTable TO
their mOnopolies it would soon b. seen
that the complete ownership and con
troll OF Congress is in the hands Of the
trusts and not Of the Administration.
Aside from that consideration, Mr.
Shaffer should remember that he ad-
dresses an increduIoUs public when he
threatens the Republicans with ven
geance at the polls. The history Of the
anthracite strike Of 1900 IS sig
nffcant in this connection. After
seeing clearly that the Administration
was hand in glove with the coal harons,
with whose interests and purposes
Marcus \ Hanna WAS closely identified
IN a general way. being a bituminous
coal trust magnatc himself and.~-aI-
though knowing that temporary conces-
sions were granted only because con
tinuanCe Of TIE strike menaced the
prospects Of Mr.. Mckinley for re-eIec-
ton, the miners struck their flag, and
voted like sheep for the State anu Ma
tionaI candidates Of The Trust. There
IS no assurance that the steel workers
would not do the same thing II IS not
an unknown thing 10 see labor leaders
extremely plaCable about election time.
and several former ones Of much promi-
neace are now comfortably settled in
Federal Offices Of more OF less import
ance. Mr.. Shafer Is on the wrons tack
If Re thinks to gain anything at the ex-
Pc =. Of the Morgan combination by
trying 10 scare M Mckinley into
coercing that coterie Of muIti-muli1n-
aires The Administration does not
control the trusts. The trusts own and
operate the Administration