Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-10-15
rae BAD STRIKE SILL UNSETTLED.

Il
justment as fortnight ago, when Pres
ident Roosevelt ATTEMPTED to personally
arbitrats for the contendiug forces and
1t was fatty given to the pre- ident by
the mine operators and railroad preal-
dents that no nor the min, rs Womb te
permitted to dictate thair business.
These people demand protection &
their property from the states and gen.
eral government yet refuse to permit
those in authority in the estates ami Unit
ed States even suggest a reasonable ba-
sis for arbitration
The Detroit gathering, held last Fri
day, II which nearly every town and
city in the country was represented,
took a conservative view of the situa-
ton. THY asked the president TO in.
,truct the United States Attorney Gen
eral to institute civil proceedings look
ing to reinforcement of inter stats
commerce acts; to have the commission
investigate abuses of exceptional char
ges for transporting coal, and to have
the courts restrain by injunction, abuses
Of this character, to have the legislator,
called in special session In Pennsylvania
and to take action looking to operation
Of mines and roads by authority OF the
state In case the two interests refuse tc
give their assent to some reasonable d
just compromise in the interests OF the
people.
A other honest effort was made by
Governor Odell and Senator Platt oil
New York, together with the United
States senators from Pennsylvania. last
Friday. The road and mine owners
met these officials by appointment but
absolutely refused to consider their en-
treaties for suffering humanity. Gov.
Odell threstened that the barons would
be brought to time or the people would
know why.
This coal strike is one of the most
serious conditions the country has been
confronted with in ears, the worse be,
cause we are at the very Threshold Of
winter, with certain suffering and death
for poor people of every community OF
the land In a short treati g on the cit
uation Governor Hoard. in the last issue
Of his paper, the Jefferson County I'm.
ion, gives a few points that should be
careful ~ weighed by every honest citi.
zen, when be wrote
The Bible says; Behold how great a
fire little spark kindleth"
In the coal strike of the anthracite
miners Of Pennsylvania, the whole comp
try finds itself involved It's but tut
beginning Of the end. In turning down
President Roosevelt as they did, the
their utter lack of humanity and patriot-
ism. Nothing more convincing could
have been done to show the necessity on
the part Of the people. of lining up in
solid phalapx against this power of
greedy and unpatriotic capital
The battle Is on, in Wisconsin as well
as in Pennsylvania. Shall the people
rule? Is this a government of corpora
tions and trusts? viii the farmers and
householders Cf the state see where their
duty lies, or viii they allow themselves
to be hunbugged by demagogues who
are in the employ of tax lodging cor
porationsI
These are questions that are pressing
home to each voter for an answer HIS
vote uext November will show how well
he understands the issue If the cause
of the people prevails ID will settle the
issHe quickly in this state
But every Inan must decide for him.
self. If he allows prejudice and wrong
views to blind his eyes, his vote viii be
cast against himself, and bitterly will
he regret it,
American liberty may be said TO stand
under three heads; Political liberty re-
ligious liberty aud commercial liberty
The first two have been fought ont and
settled, we hope for all time The third
relr rains to be established The trusts
and all corporations who seek to bind
the people in condition Of commercial
slavery are ranging themselves on one
side. Those who sympathize with them
will vote with them. Those who be-
liep Q that this is government founded
on pc puiac rights will vote against them
We must choose whether we will
serve the cause of American liberty, or
the cause Of greedy Mammon. Let no
man be deceived The struggle is COM
ing Just as 1t did in the antisavery
days Those who hold to the central
proposition that this is a government of
the people and for the people. will easily
lind their right place next November