BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-10-27
SAN JUAN, OCTOBER 27
Settled Right.

Oetued Ngllt.
The whole world will gree Presi-
dent Roosevelt's success in ending the
coal strike not only with approval but
with gratitude. He has agains demon
strated that he is wiser than his wisest
critics. All these must be able to per-
ceive that what he accomplished last
week was made possible only by
what he had done previously. If he
had rot interfered in the matter, as
many sincere persons thought he should
not have done; if he had not treated
both the operators and Mr.. Mitchell
as persons to whom appeals in the
public interest could be made with
hope of favorable response, he could
not have succeeded in the end in get
ting their agreement to the really ideal
plan of settlement which is the out
come. Both sides were put to it to
live up to the character which the Pre-
sident assumed that they possessed in
his treatment of them. In the end he
pulled all of them up to that high plat
form to which he invited them at the
first conference on Oct, s.:
With all the earnestness there is in
me, I ask that g.here be an immediate
rest nption of operation in the coal
mines in some, such way as will, with
out days unnecessary delay, meet the
crying needs of the people. l do not
invite discussion of your respective
claims and positions. appepl to your
patriotism, to the spirit that sinks per-
sonal considerations and makes indivi-
dual sacrifices for the general good.
The immediate resumption of coal
mining is assured, and with it some
thing of even greater mportance-that
is, solution of the controversy that led
to the strike, which is likely to he so
wise and just as to have lasting in
huence upon all similar controversies in
this country 1t is a safe assertion that
more competent tribunal than the
one agreed upon has never been con-
stitute for like purpose in any country.
Every member Of it is especially fitted
for the work. and every member of it
be depended upon to act with absolute
honesty and impartiality. AS enlarged
at Mr.. Mitchell's request it is a fairer
and stronger body than the one outlin-
ed by the operators. Both sides are
adequately represented on it, and neither
has an extreme partisan of its interests.
1t should he borne in mind that the
commissio is empowered not only to
make thorough and important investi-
cation of all questions at issue between
the operators and the workers, but to
reach conclusions as to the relations
between the two which shall govern the
conditions of employment between the
respective comp, MES and their en-
ployees for term of at least three
years. The possibilities of permanent
good in this aspect of the settlement
can scarcely be overestimated. In the
first place, the question of whether or
not the miners have real grievances,
for which they have not ben able to
secure redress, will be fully heard and
fairly ansQ cred. In the second place,
neither side can refuse TO ab de by the
verdic... In the third place, there can
be no renewal of the controversy just
closed till after the next presidential
election, except through open breach of
faith by one. side or the other. The
pledge of peace for three years at least
will make another strike impossible be-
fore the autumn Of 1905, except through
breach of contract, which neither side
could commit without disaster to itself
and the failure of its cause. for public
opinion would be certain to condemn it.
Finally, a great service has been
done in getting recognition in con-
test of such Overwhelming importance
of the principle of arbitration, What
this tribunal represents is arbitration
in its best and truest form. All sides
are to have full and fair hearing. I'll
is not question of arbitrating between
employers and a trade union, >but be-
tween employers and their employees,
union and non-union. The right to
work will be recognized there and given
fair hearing side by side with the
right of workingmen 10 combine for the
of their own interests and
to use all lawful means to advance
those interests. So also will the right of
an employer TO the control of his own
business be recognized, but with such
recognition another has been conceded
in the consent of the operators to the
tribunal lee, recognition also that the
public has some rights in controversies
which involve its welfare aud imperial
social order.