The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-04
The Coal Situation.

Lexington Herald
 From East and West from North and South comes the news of &n ad- vance in the price of coal of a threaten ed coal famine But from the anthracite fields of Pennsylvania comes no authentic news of the settlement of the strike. Rumors there are, reports that seem re- liable, but which have not as yet been authenticated, that a settlement will soon he reached. If the opinion of United States Commissioner of LaborCar- popular demonstrations are more apt to retard than hasten a settlement. He states in a report made last week that from a personal investigation of the situa- tion. the strike will probably collapse within the next three weeks. His re- port Is based upon a personal investiga- ton of the conditions throughout the anthracite region and his intimate knowl- edge of policies and C4lvictions now cCn- trolling the coal operators. He says in substance:
 They will never give in-never recede by a hairs breadth from their present position. Not chiefly because of their known opposition to the miners union but because of their determination to break up the control of the coal n ming business by the politicians"
 The New York Commercial, in com mepting on the report, says:
 "Whether this Is merely an assump- tion by Commissioner Wright or not, the facts appear to amply justify it..
 Tt Is well enough known that in the strike of 1900-a presidential election year political pressure induced the coal-car- rying railroad companies to make con- sessions to the miners that they did not deem juStifiahle under ordinary circum- stances, because 1t was feared that the strike might seriously affect the election; and now. in 1902-according to the Wright recital--the leaders among the union miners. well knowing the importance of the congressional elections and the uncertainty of their outcome in some districts organized the present strike in a bleief that the same political influence would move the operators to again yield to the men.
 Would not the same thing happen in 1904? the operators naturally argue. And, with such precedents. wouldn't every sue ceeding presidential or congressional cleo ton witness a strike in which the em- blowers would have to give up? In short in order to assure their own con trol of their huslness in the future, was it not nt for the coal opera tors to stop tn. renee CT the loll-
 ticians right now duu nere? Was it not incumbent on them to drive politics out of their business at any cost?
 And the Wright theory that the coal operators have all along had an under standing vtth most of the other great ing their complete sympathy and support Is probably correct also. It IS at Ieasl reasonable and it would go far in x plaining the uniform tirmness Of the operators from the very start-an attitude that the strike sympathizers have seen | it to characterize heartless pigheaded- ness
 It may he that this is the reason | 1t may be that the coal operators con | slider r. a valid reason for refusing all | suggestions of arbitration-the' American people will hardly agree with them in
 that opinion, however. It comes with poor grace from any citizen of Penn 1 sylvania to complain of the lnfiuence politicians have had on business. Oi all the States in the Union, it has rroba- | bly, received the greatest benefit from l the admixture of politics and business It's protected interests have had theii | regular representatives in the Congress 1 of the United States. Every change IF | the tariff has been watched by them with an eye single to the effect on he great | industries which they represented. Ii
 th opinion of Commissioner Wright be | correct 1t is high time that some steI | be taken, that some law be passed that | will for all time prevent another sucf strike, that will compel operator anc miner to submit to arbitration; that will | forever do away with the danger which
 seems to threaten. which does now actually confront the people of America | in a coal famine. The coal operators l and iron producers and manufacturers oi