Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-03
ANARCHY IN COAL REGION.
Attention of Gov. Stone and President
Mitchell Called to Crime.

From the Philadelphia Ledger.
A special dispatch from Wilkesbarre to
the New York Tribune OF the Goth Of Sep
TENDER Is as follows:
A list of the different phases of violence
since the strike began in the anthracite re-
gion is as follows, the list Including only
the most aggravated cases:
Killed, IA; severely injured, 40; shot from
ambush. 16; aggravated assaults 81; at
tempt to lynch, /; houses dynamited -;
houses burned, 3; buildings burned, 10;
washeries burned, 8; stockades burned, 2;
riots 50; works dynamited, 6; train dyna-
mited /; railroad bridges dynamited, 4;
railroads seized, s. trains wrecked, g.: at
tempted wrecks, o; trains attacked, Z;
strikes In schools, IA.
The Public Ledger cannot vouch for the
accuracy of the above figures, but the Tri-
bune is a careful and conservative news
paper, and the outrages, increasing day
by day, have been many, the list Is
proba bly, very nearly, If not quite, correct.
If, however. it should be only approximate
ly so 1t shows that the condition in the
strike region is not that Of order, but Of
lawlessness and anarchy.
The Public Ledger does not find in the
above statement of offenses against the
state and society any so significant in
meaning as the last. which is that there
have been strikes in fourteen public
schools in the coal territory, because the
children of non-union wOrkmen were per-
mtted to attend them. or because the chill
dren of non-union men were employed as
teachers. The public school system is not
maintained for any single class-it Is for all
classes. as all classes are taxed to sustain
it. 1t Is public free; to all, to children of
all nationalities, creeds. beliefs, trades and
vocations, unionists and non -unionists.
But the members of the miners union
have declared that the children of nom
union miners shall neither teach nor at
roh@ ", fntn Of 10
and to prevent them from doing so close
the schools in the dsa ffected region.
In his recent reply to Messrs. Baer and
Hewitt, Mr.. Mitchell attempted to mini
mize the reign Of disorder and lawlessness
which has obtained in the mining districts
since the strike began. but neither in that
reply nor in any statement which he has
made has he said one word in mild disap-
prevail or angry condemnation of the forci-
BILE closing of the schools by the organiza
ton of which he is the chief. against the
children of non-unon men who wish to
work and support their families.
Murder, arson and train wrecking are bad
things. especially If they go unchal
lenged and UNPUBLISHED in a civilized COM
munity: but In respect to the denial and ig-
noring of the principles of individual liber-
ty of the great principle and inherent right
of every citizen to work or not to work,
1t is fairly debatable if the persecution of
little children. who have themselves com
mitted no offense. given no provocation, by
the followers Of Mr.. Mitchell, is not among
the chiefest of crimes against the state and
society.
President Mitchell. in the closing para
graph of the paper given out by him on
Sunday last, said:
Involved in this fight are questions
veightier than any question of dollars and
cents. The present miner has had his day
he has been oppressed and ground down;
but there is another generation coming up
a generation of little children prematurely
n To uyhir RI nf q
noise and blackness of the breaker. 1t is
for these children we are fighting"
That is very pathetic statement, but did
Mr. Mitchell mean 1t? Or did he mean that
he and the union are fighting for the chill
dren of the union only? Fighting, In fact
against the little children of non-union min
ers?
Throughout the strike region a veritable
reign of terror. of absolute lawlesSness, pre-
vailed on Monday, despite the presence of
the state guard. At Mount Carmel a col
liery was wrecked, a passenger train mel
up, non-union men beaten with Clubs
houses wrecked with dynamite; on the
Reading railway an attempt to wreck an
express train filled with passengers was
made. and this Is not the whole of the list
Of the lawless acts of the same day.
The attention Of Governor Stone and
President Mitchell is respectfully invited
to these fragrant crimes against the state
and society. AS to the governor, does he
not think he has paltered long enough with
troops able to bring peace to the disgraced
commonwealth have been waiting in impa
tient expectancy to be called upon to queH
lawlessness and uphold the law. Why are
they not called when organized crime over
runs the state? O. az
The people demand coal, and the opera
tors assert they will mine it and give 1t to
the people II the miners willing to work are
afforded protection to work Why is pro-
lection not given to every man to work If
he wishes to work? Why does not Governor
Stone call upon all men authorized to quell
disorder to protect the men who want to
work? AS to President Mitchell, he has
shown that he has the power to order on
strike and keep on strike for five months
great army of miners, they and their fami-
lies thereby enduring suffering and distress
untold Does he mean to say that he who
was able to order and maintain this for
midable force Is not strong enough to con-
troll it for peace, law and order? If that is
true his first duty is to call the strike off
to the end that anarchy, strife. assault. riot
murder. arson. train wrecking and the
forceful closing! Of schools may cease.
Governor Stone and President Mitchell
should perceive their duty and do it quickly
and in sincerity and courage.