The Tucson citizen., 1902-09-01
THE lNSOLENT MAGkATE.

A few days ago we called attention
Ito remarkable declaration made by
President Baer of the Reading railroad
company. in reply to a communication
urging him to settle the coal strike.
Eastern newspapers containing the full
text of President Baer's declarations
have arrived and it is but simple JUS
tice to say that the telegraphed extra It
was not as good as the complete docu-
ment.
1t seems that a Wilkesbarre photo
grapher named w. F. Clark addressed
letter to President Baer of the Read
ing railroad company, one Of the larg-
est of the hard coal operators, appeal
ing to him as a Christian to settle the
miners strike. The writer said if
Christ was taken more into business
affairs there would be less trouble in
the world, and that if Mr.. Baer granted
the strikers a slight concession they
would gladly return to work Presi-
dent Baer~ replied as follows:
| | see you are evidently biased in
your religious views in favor of the
right of the workingman to control
business in which he has no other in
terest than to secure fair wages for the
work he does. l beg of you not to be
discouraged. The rights and inter-
ests of the workingman will be pro-
tected and cared for, not by the labor
agitators, but by the Christian men TO
whom God in His infinite wisdom has
given the control of the property inter
ests of the country. Pray earnestly
that the right may triumph, always re-
membering that the Lord God omnipo-
tent still reigns and that His reign is
one of law and order and not of vio-
lence and crime.
1t is not easy to determine whether
this answer is written in a spirit of
mockery, Or in seriousness, but as
President Baer was addressed on the
theory that he was a Christian man, it
will probably be safe to accept the the
ory that he is, and that this is an
expression of his real sentiment on the
subject. We dismiss the thought that
he is a brazen blasphemer, and admit
that he believes that he is one of ''the
Christian men to whom God in His in
finite wisdom has given the control of
the property interests of the country.
And it is not very hard to conceive
that a trust magnate should believe
that They do control ''the property
interests of the country" That il
unquestionable. And it has always
been the tendency of those who hat
wealth and power to believe that Coo
gave them. 1t is not so very Ions
since it was taught
That none but kings had a right di
2 vine,
And all the people We're herds o
swine"
: The money kinga of this country
the captains of industry tn
successors of the old hereditary mon
archs They exercise powers that few
monarchs ever had and fewer still
would dare to exercise. How man!
kings would have dared to raise arbi
trarily the price of meat, or of coal
Crowns have tumbled for less.
n But there is one point on whicl
g President Baer can not be given credi
: for good faith. If he does believ
O that he is Gods trustee, he can not be
r lieve that His reign is one of law an
e order 1t is not law and order fo
e President Baer's railroad company t
: be operating coal mines in violation @
d it's charter and in violation of tn
constitution of Pennsylvania. 1t
l. not law and order for it to be in
It combination in restraint of trade, i
l. violation of the laws of the land "B
g not deceived" President Baer, God
d not mocked."