The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-04
TOO MANY MILLERSfOF VITAL INTEREST 4
Well Known Men Discuss Yester-
I days Conference at Washing
5 ~ ton on the Coal Strike.
The Attitude of the Mine Owners
!: Does, Not Help: Them With = +,
\ 49, the Public ". &C.

\ - 49,, the Public ". ,,,.s..,sp.
Il 1880 ~ w y,
/: Views of the Washington u conf ference
called by President Roosevelt to settle
Sthe coal strike were expressed from diff
Eferent standpoints this. morning, by for
mer Congressman Page Norris Of? Duluth,
by: President James S. Bell Of the Wash
burn Crosby Milling company, and by
Sidney M. Owen, editor OF Farm, Stock
sand Home, the former peoples party
candidate for governor. ~..-. ., g..
F. Mr. Morris upholds the president, and
declares that the most important effect Of
the conference will be to arouse an irwin
chile public sentiment that, under the
leadership of the president, will crush the
forces that have made possible the cur
rent crisis.
+ Mr.. Bell agrees that many points in
connection with the strike might well
have been settled by arbitration. But
he believes that if the entire question was
put into the hands of arbitrator, the
operators would find themselves there
after at the mercy of the labor leaders,
whose wisdom Is not always to be trusted.
f. Mr.. Owen contrasts the self-restraint
of President Mitchell with the
domineering attitude of the opera
tors He says that the opera
tors are the true anarchists, al
hnce with legal forms: He criticizes them
for upholding the letter Of the law as
against the miners union, when they
have so readily approved the recent VIC
lation of law to relieve their gambling
distress In Wall street. Mr.. Owen rec
ommends that the government cut the
knot by taking immediate possession Of
the anthracite mines and the coal-carry-
ing railroads.
Page Norris Idea. . d:
f Former Congressman Page Morris, of
Duluth, denounced the attitude of the coal
operators in vigorous fashion at the West
hotel this morning.
president Roosevelt is doing the right
thing at the right time" said Mr.. Morris,
He has held off until further forbear-
ance has ceased to be a virtue. In char
acterfstic fashion he has taken the bull
by the horns and is insisting on settling a
question which, with winter approa ching,
vitality concerns the entire nation. I am
conndent that congress will stand by him
almost to man. + feel certain that ways
and means will be devised for effecting
a settlement on a satisfactory basis to all
parties concerned. My sympathies are all
with the strikers. I believe they have had
the best of this argument from the start.
Inc arrogant insolence of the coal barons
and their Indifference to every interest
not directly connected with their pocket
BOOKS has become intolerable It is too
PAD that the law provides no punishment
Tor the crime now being committed by
these enemies of society, the coal opera
TORS and the presidents of the coal carry
ing roads. ~
Il am not prepared to say just what
remedy Is available or what measures NAV
be adopted by congress. But the nresi-
dents stand and the Washington confer
ence Will be of immense value in its effect
on public sentiment the country over.
Which will now demand that steps be taken
TO preclude absolutely such pubic calam-
ity hereafter"
AS j. S. Bell Sees 1t.
Said Mr.. Bell 1.-THE mine owners would
not, In my opinion, assume great respon-
s1bll1ty In arbitrating the question o1
wages hours and other details and I am
quite sure board of arbitration could set.
tie all these minor questions satisfactorily
When the mine owner Is confronted, wifi
the question of using union labor exclu.
s1vely and recognizing, the union-in al
That the term implies-he realizes that ht
| Is assuming a great responsibility in al.
lowing such question to be decided by
arbitra ton. -
Labor and labor leaders have dictated
unreasonable and unjust terms in the mas
and should board of arbitrators decree
against the mine owners they would b.
practically in the hands of labor orsaniza
lions for all time to come
Mr.. Mitchell is willing to arbitrate al
questions because he realizes that he ha.
this one chance to win, otherwise defea
| Is certain
MIR. Owen is Vigorous.
Mr.. Owen said: <
Contrast the position of Mr.. Mitchell
fair, conservative, frank, conciliatory
truthful, honest, with that of the opera
tors; high-and-mighty, with illusions in
| famous, with charges false, with an.auto
cratic mein that is intolerable, and will
insolence insufferable; and then doubt i
you can who is right, and, who wrong
who deserves the execration of all peopl,
and who their, sympathy and support.
The operators talk Of anarchy! Their,
never was a more aggravated and monu
mental example of anarchy of the viles
form than they voiced yesterday. Their
was the anarchy Of the dollar, a, thin,
that may be made. to commit crime, blu
cannot be executed for it.. Theirs tn
anarchy that would exalt money and de
grade men; that would make wealth tn
despot = and man the. serf: =. TIL
dagger :xof the assassin, who /
sure to be called an anarchist, kills bu
one, and kills quickly; the methods Of tn
operators would slowly torture thousands
by all, and soon gives his life in atone
ment of his crime. . The anarchistic Goa
and railroad combine enjoys the approve
Of myriads Of our alleged best people, 1T
representatives are welcome in churches
. they are above and beyond law, and as
sumo to be licensed to prey upon tn
; people all the time and freeze them t
death when their greed or pride S
prompts. - - '..'. = S@'@"'.
What would do? Take possession o
the coal mines in the name of the govern
ment; take them as railroad corporation
taken a mans farm under :. the law. o
eminent domain. and do it quickly. An,
If railroads stand in the way Of the, speed
! transportation Of the coal, take them, toe
1.-THE word Socialism must sSnot%be$
specter to frighten us in a crisis tlike$th
''Mr. Baer refers to the rebellion. lie
US thank him for that. becausasit remind
US that in those days the 'country's per!
made. technical violation Of written lay
necessary. and shall not the present per-
of the people justify sinilarsactian?, Wit
man-made statutes and court made: Inter
y pretations and technical les on, the Oh
, side. and freezing men. women land schil
dren on the other. thea last: li,ist i *
warmed if the first is thesnnls fuel ayail
able. T.. ."Ga'%r . 5ssssss - -:
'"The time has come when these cues
Hone