The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-10-31

that during the progress OF the strike
We have more than only offered arbi-
tratiOn- But we have invariably been
net with the reply. We viii not per
NIT outsiders to dictate TO Us IN the
management OF our adairs. We have
nothing to arbftrate
Nov that the managers Of the com
panies have been compelled by you and
a thoroughly aroused public conscience
to recede from this position, we are
proud that the frames and the heroic
endurance Of our men and women in
support OF their rights and Of a vital
American principal have won the vic
tory.
The poor. uiderpaid mine workers
Of. these coal regions, who toll hard
from early morning until late at night
for livelihood, nObly supported by or
gained labor in this and other lands,
have taught these corporation mana
gers a useful lesson IN civic and social
duty. We exult over these tributes TO
the dignity Of labor because it is the
triumph Of right and Of good public
policy We do not, however, exult
over our opponents We appeal to them
now as we have from the first to turn
their eyes to the future and to cooper
ate with us in an effort to establish bet
ter relations between employer and en-
plOye for the advantage Of both.
We forgive them their arrogant
refusal to deal with Us. and in this
hour when they are forced to acknowI-
edge their inability to operate the
mines without our consent and COOP
Grafton we hold out the right hand OF
friendship and ask them to join us in
securing amicable relations and whole
some conditions in this region. We for
give them even the false accusation
which they have made against US They
charged US with being criminals. riot
eTs and anarchists, and our organiza-
ton they denounced as 1awIess and ir-
responsible They know and did know
that their charges we're untrue and
without foundation in fact; they knew
that every officer Of the United Mine
Workers Of America. from the presi-
dent down, has constantly urged upon
its membership the imperative need Of
respecting the law; that every man
who commits a deed OF violence is an
enemy to our cause has been the
watchwOrd- Despite these admonitions,
supported with all our influence, there
have been a few crimes and a number
Of misdemeanOrs charg cable to those
on strike But, Mr.. President, we make
the unqualified declaration that the
imported guardians Of law and order,
the companies coal and iron police,
have committed more unprovoked muir
deTs during this strike than can be
charged to the great army of men who
have been in idleness for the past five
months We have repeatedly and in
language not susceptible to miscon-
strUctiOn, condemned transgressiOns Of
law on the part Of those on strike;
we challenge the coal companies to
point to one public utterance on their
part in which they have even depre-
Gated acts OF violence committed by
their hired guards.
I'VE declare that It was unfair and
unmanly for the coal presidents to
insult Us while we were your guests
and charge our organization with re-
spOnsibility for acts Of lawlessness
during the strike. II would be just as
logical to charge the American army
in the Philippines with being an army
Of mUrderers, tOrturers and robbers.
because a few crimes werc committed
by soldiers there. Until the millennium
there viii be crimes in every cOmmuni-
ty and human nature is the same, no
| better and no worse, among the half
million people dependent upon US in
the coal fields as it is everywhere in
! our country
THE pretense Of the operators that
they were unble to produce coal be-
| cause intimidation kept from work
men who were willing to work has
been proved false by the fact that
/ the protection they demanded has de-
! creased rather than increased the num-
| Der Of men mining coal A hundred
/ thousand troops could not have en-
| abled the operators to start their mines
i for the simple reason that the men who
/ Il Of 81
| Mine Workers Of America, men who
were determined to stand to the last
/ for their rights, TO organize and
| through their organization to demand
/ better wages and improved conditions
/ Of employment They stood shoulder
to shoulder to the last
The operators declared that they
/ would have nothing TO do with the
/ United Mine Workers of America. but
/ they found il necessary TO recognize
| the power Of the United States OF
| America. through you, Mr.. President.
| and to seek terms Of peace which viii
enable them to resume their business
Of mining and selling coal. The recOg-
milton Of our strength thus forced upon
/ the operators by sheer necessity we
! eXult over, not in any narrow spirit,
| but because we believe il marks a for
| ward step toward a new era Upon the
| foundations laid through war we are
ready TO join with them in building for
better conditions and a long lasting
peace.
| When the inevitable conflict came
/ on the operators attempted to Justify
| themselves upon the false plea that
ours is an irresponsible organization,
/ which was dominated by violence.
| When society attempted to interfere to
settle the strike they declared their di-
vinely appointed right to be left alone
| When representatives Of national and
state governments tried to mediate
| they. resented such 'meddling by poll
ticians." But thanks to you. Mr. Presi-
dent, and to the power Of public opin-
ion. they have been brought to a re-
| alizatfOn Of the fact that the interests
or welfare Of the American people can
not be ignored with impunity.
BY the eminent tribunal which you
have named we have confidence that
Justice viii be done our people We are
glad to have a chance to appear before
such a court empowered 70 consider
and dispose OF all questions at issue.
First among these is the demand OF
the mine workers for increased wages
and a reduction in the hours OF labor;
second is the relations which ought to
exist between employers and the or
/ zanizaffOn which the men have formed