Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-16
THE EBB AND FLOW
OfyHuman Emotions-The Coal Stu
ton and Remedy.

ton and Remedy.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
When st. Pierre. Martinique, was de-
stroyed by Pelee volcano, the chord OF
American sympathy vibrated as never be-
fore. Individual and nation hurried as
sistance to the survivors, and our us
tinguished President appealed to Con
gress for gift to the colonists for pros
porous France of $50, COO On the sra OF
September Martinique was visited bg a
second eruption of Pelee. which destroyed
several villages and 100 human beings,
vet not note of compassion was eilcited
from the generous hearts that were SO
deeply moved by the first disaster nor
from those in authority.
Why is 1t that the heart Of man Is never
moved SO profoundly over second cal
arnity varying but little in its resemblance
to the first?
Patriotic emotion manifeSts the same
flow and ebb. In 1861 Fort Sumter was
fired ca, the war spirit surged In every
breast North and South. Each section was
obliged to reject tens Of thousands OF
applications for enrolment. lntelhgent
men imagined the war would not last
more than sixty or ninety days. and all
were eager to take part in it.
familiar with that period, when the first
anniversary of the attack on Fort Sum
ter came around, both North and South
were compelled, through unWillingness OF
fresh men to enlist and the fear that many
of the 12-months men would not remain at
the front, to draft and conScrpt. Patriot
ism and sympathy are inconstant and I'M
firm. When first they are stirred they
nurn with the intensity of ferVor. but soon
they are spent and drop below the sur
face of the sublime. Before elections it
is become the fashion to exalt the old
soldiers The President says to them
that in the future as in the past the bulk
Of them will be composed of volunteers.
that the Grand Army Of the Republic were
men of high ideals;" men that knew how
to prize certain ideals more than material
well-being;'' driven to your work by the
lash of your own hearts," No doubt some
were, but the truth is and those who re-
member the draft riots know that the
draft and bounty filled the ranks OF ehat
army. "A large number OF men volunteer
ed after the draft laws were adopted. be-
cause by so doing they exercised the right
Of choice as to company, regiment, and
branch of service.
Again. when the first lineman was
burned to crisp on pole at the corner
of Chambers and Center streets. New
York city, every detail Of the agonizing
death was printed and New York and
every point in touch with that city talked
Of scarcely anything else foc forty-eiSht
hours. Since that awful event, hundreds
of poor fellows have suffered death from
the same appalling cause, yet, all that
a death from live wire now EFFORTS is
condensed in two or three line press
notice. The people have become so ac-
70 In ,ert ia
unexpected.
So it has been with strikes until the
present one in the anthracite region, and
even this one would find US unmoved and
Indifferent were not our pockets for our
winter comfort affected by the scarcity
of coal.
xiii mans family and he may brook it.
But keep your hand out Of his breecheS
pocket
With anthracite at s25 in New York.
and but poor prospect of the operators (by
Divine right. making due concession to
the miners, Notwithstanding recent events
have disproved their oft-repeated declara-
ton that men would resume work if
protected by the military. the outlook Is
indeed gloomy to the poor of our cities.
large and small. The Governor OF Penn
sylvania Should convene the Legislature
and ask for the immediate enactment of
laws obliging operators to open their
mines: laws to dissolve mining companies
and condemn their properties whenever
the output Of coal is so limited or restrict
ed as TO advance it's market value . per
cent. or for shutting down from any cause
wha tever, except accidents to machinery.
for an unrea sonable period. at time that
the product of said mines Is in urgent de-
mand IN the retail markets.
Respectfully.
G. W. c..
staunton. Va. October II. 1902.