The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-20
ANNUAL. NEW
ENGLAND DINNER
tconcluded from Page 81

So sacred is the cause of man here, that
Il must be guarded alike from those WHO
misrepresent and those who ignore 1t.
The Jury time empancls," undaunted by
the threats of envy or the bribes OF greed.
will attend to all the evidence, and make
its verdict, and the will of the whole peo-
pie, Just and steadfast, will be done!
These plain truths I have said. mainly
upon one side, and will be as puritanly
plain as to tho other.
Submitting his case to that public Juug-
mcnt to which we must all at last defer,
John Mitchell, in his latest statement, as
remarkable for its restraint ana goou
temper as for its clean English. has said
this: 'If labor makes unreasonable de.
,nands; If it attempts to dominate
through violence and intimidation; IL II
seeks to maintain monopoly through sup
preston of the right of others to work
when they are willing to work, labor
loses its case. If capital Is unreasonable;
IL it refuses to make any effort toward
adjustment of grievances IL 1t claims TO
be the sole Judge of wages and conditions,
and, above all, If while itself securing the
advantages of combination 1t declares
labor shall not have the same adVan-
tages capital loses it's case" =
To this we must all agree. For one, l
will grant that he utters this In good
faith, There are paragraphs l do not
agree to, and silences which regret; but
this affirmation is critical and central.
it is right. I think it is sincere. If It's
lightness is insincere, so much the worse
for his cause. If it is sincere, and those
he speaks for accept it, and do their hu-
man best to hold weak, or wicked extrem-
lists within it's restraint. then the worse
for those who deny its sincerity.
Have Come to Stay.
Unions of labor have come to stay.
Combination and Community of inter-
est" are their inherent right, also. They
are a fact and factor. They must be
recognized. They are recognized, even in
denying them recognition. A condition
must be reckoned with "Does the gen.
tleman," Said the matter of fact Speaker
Reed to one who violently protested to
the counting of the actual quorum
docs the gentleman deny that he is
present."
Fingers in ones ears is an ultmatum
that two can play at. To hide under the
bedclothes may comfort the child. but
will not stop the thunderstorm. Even to
a. criminal the law does not deny the
right to choose his own attorney. The
credentials Of any spokesman are from
those who send him, not from those to
whom he is sent. The principal accred-
its his agent. Organized capital speaks
through it's delegate: organized labor has
the same right. If a given envoy is diff
1lCult, auSteFe, OF offensive, So llluCH Tie
worse for those who commission him.
Either party may request a different leg
ate; but to prescribe how he shall be
chosen or to refuse all, is to break Off
diplomatic relations. The right not to
deal through self-sent meddlers does not
modify the duty to recognize those who
are properly endorsed. Only faulty chal-
lenges the right of men to act and TO
speak collectively and by whom they will.
Obviously one hundred thousand work.
men cannot state their cause separately
to ten executive boards. The question:
gentlemen, as to MIR. Baer, or as to Mr.
Mitchell, is not whether he is in the em-
ploy of those to whom he goes, but
whether he is authorized by those from,
whom he comes.
Tho contention Of the opera tors that
they may dictate just how their men
shall approach them cannot hold its
ground before American common sense
and fair play. 1t will fall. it falls al.
ready; for that public which does no,
bubble knows that practically the United
Mine Workers as such, and in the person
of John Mitchell, are before the commits.
sion and the country. The arbitrary pre-.
cept issues, so far. only in mutual eXas.
perations, and furnishes the prolific op.
portunities of marplots. Any genuine Of
fort to agree must listen TO all parties
claiming to be such.
They Cannot Enjoin.
AS to the alleged non-responsbility OF
the miners, because they are not incor-
pOrated, remember that since they can
not be enjoined they cannot enjoin. 1t Is
even. Further remember that their ad
Aesion to their word given is their whols
capital. They know that the country
watches them In this to see if they be
men. Under immense temptation they
have this summer past kept their word
1t is much. 1t Is enough. Incorporation
may be wise device: but it is not the
first and great commandment.
AS to compulsory arbitration" who
wants it? 1t Is a contradiction in terms
The essence of arbitration is voluntary
consent to take advice. If its obter dicta
are amicably accepted it is excellent. Ii
it can compel it is but q new court, anC
we are where We started. Agreement anc
litigation are two opposite ways. If arbi
tration could be compulsory it would bt
superfluous.
Does business mean Die you live L?
Then Trade is trade but sings a lie;
"ris only war grown miserly!'
But, and moreover, not only must cor
porations give the freedom they take, no
treating equity as a thing to be settled
by an exparte dictum; they must also ad
init and rectify their errors. The publ,
at present believes that there has beer
evasion of law, that wages have been il
many cases mot in ally inadequate, tha
the hreling has been oppressed by com
pulsory trade, that overweight tons have
been eXacted, that little boys have beer
cheated of life's blessings by prematur,
labor, that not coal, alone but the heart.
of children have gone into the 'break
srs," that sacred human life lies amonl
The slate and the culm.
Is 1t true? End it! Is il false? Fo
Gods sake prove it so. The people de
mand to know, and when they know the!
Will somehow compel substantial justice
before the vast, law-abiding conservatiY,
opinion, which, just because Puritanisn
is so tremendously eXtant and potent
will get itself regarded and obeyed Al
assertion that certain men are the "trus
bees of Cod can be warranted only b,
an equitable and God-fearing admins
tration of the trust.
Is this 'all a sermon? Make 1t a song
Good men in good land, and peace I,
them all: this Is the doctrine and the yea
of the Modern Puritan, entering into tn
labors of his fathers.
Man! God! Conscience! And the law
the law of Christ!
DIR. Stryker spoke in a deliberate
strenuous, serious style. His declara
tons anent the philosophy of the strik
question We're provocative of applause
which betokened admiration if not en-
tire assent. No speaker the society ha
had in years commanded more rapt at
tention.
"Roll a River Wide and Strong"
Hamilton college song, was rendere
out OF compliment to DR.. Stryker Th
singing was led by w. ]. Torrey.
nnnr TWu mnyN annnnr ~