The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-10-23
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, October 20. 10


Washington, October 20, 1902.
While Mr.. J. P,erpont Morgan, who
has aptly been described as "the
most powerful man IN the Ullted
States came to Washington on be.
half Of the railway presidents who
own the anthracite coal mines, and
lald before the President PROPOSE
ton TO submit to arbitration the
differences between the operators
and their employees, there IS little
reason to believe that he did so out
of Difference to Mr.. Roosevelt or to
republican interests, in view of the
fact that, on his return to New York,
he positively declined to contribute
to the republican campaign fund,
which fund IN the past has always
drawn literally on Mr.. Morgan's bank
account. 1t IS stated, probably cor
rectly, that Mr.. Morgan had financial
interests which were being seriously
affected by the coal strike and that
he saw that the mine operators were
unable, even with the protection of
the entire military strength of Penn
sylvania, to start tn? mines, he deem
ed the most graceful way out of the
dilemma was to throw all further re-
sponsi5l!ity on the President and the
Mine Workers Union. Even then,
the operators did not repose in Mr..
Roosevelt the same unlimited con-
fidence displayed by President
Mitchell, for they stipulated the con-
ditions which must surround the per-
sonnel of the arbitrators. Fortunately
the strike has been brought to close
and the operators have practically
acknowledged themselves beaten.
h#M
1t issfeliably stated that the Pres-
dent will recommend to Congress that
the tariff on coal be repealed at the
approaching short session and it is to
be hoped that his recommendation
will receive more consideration than
have his important sndations
in the past 1t is said that Senator
Quay is responsible for having
''smuggled into the Dingey bill" the
coal schedule and it is lntinated that
is not the only duty which got into
the bill without the knowledge of the
public. The statement that this duty
was placed there by dishonorabe
means will prove confusing to Sena-
tor Hanna and other republicans who
desire to see the country stand pat"
on the present tariff and regard it as
too sacred to be revised. Ex-senator
Pugh is authority for the statement
! that, when the DIngley bill was under
consideration, Senator Quay came to
the democrats and begged them to
allow the 81 cents duty on coal to 60
into the Dill in order to further his
interests in his state, promising that
1t would be stricken out in conference
and adding that he was not sincere in
his pretenSe of desiring that such
duty should be enacted. Mr. Pugh
further says that Allison and Aldrlch
were party to this scheme for de-
ceiving the public, a number Of
schedules being altered to suit the
constituents of the Rhode Island
senator, which it was clearly under
stood should be strlken out when the
bill came to conference. According
to statement made by Mr.. Nelson
Dingley, author of the bill, the same
tactics were followed in the House
and many schedules which it was ex-
pected to yield in conference were
inserted. The bill, however, never
went to conference and accordingly
all of these items were enacted into
law, that law which is now held up as
too sacred for revision.
XXX
1t is said by the democratic leaders
that the people have an excellent op-
portunity to judge of the sincerity Of
republican protestations by their
action at the approaching short ses-
sion. IT they open the tariff revision
question they will have ample oppor-
tunity to demonstrate to the country
that they have the interests of the
people at large at heart, but unless
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