New-York tribune., 1902-10-03
now TO STOP THE STRIKE.
AN IMAGINARY CONVERSATION At HAR
RISRI re-
. Tho Etitor ~ Tho Trihune-

To The E5itor of The Tribune.
Sir. I have endeayored 20 emhody in the fol
lowing dialogue what / consider the only s"lu-
tion ~ 'he coal famine question.
Governor stone discovered in his office. Enter
20 him various coal carrying railroad presidents
President Baer-W, claim that the settlement
81 this coal strike L. our private business and
that the public has no voice in 10.
Governor Stone know, that position has
been repeatedly asserted by the TaV'rs that
voice your views. But Is D. true Lei ms see
The highest courts Of the country have h'iI
with unauimity for several years that any buSl-
ness may - affected by public interest so as
70 Justify governmental interference, ana that
right Is not restricted 10 property clothed with
a publ.. character by special grant oI "harter
The business of minirE AN" n'TkctiUg authra-
most emphatic s., nse- You nave acquired your
hyvord ~ Coal Earons' be-, :uss every iCN y1u
get together and make IN arbitrary rails" ir the
pric" ~ a commodity "t uai'"is.. nee '7sitH-
You rule the public from IN" security % your
coal castles and they have no cho"' uut sub
mission %oW II a way opens 10 utlns you down
from thai high handed position. yoG "il get but
little syIrapthy n the result shall terminate for
an time your abilIty arbitrarily 10 control tn
President Ba,r-But your exceuency that is
anarchy. You do not contemplate "a war on
vested interests. we suppose.
Ciovernor Stoue-NC. but vested interests must
b. reasonable. Railroads. grain elevators. mn
keepers. common carriers ana numerous "tH'I
vested interests have been Competed u MOI
crate their charges to "A reasonable return on
the investment. and Il rs too late To assam the
i1r.IfG-r- Raef-Eut il has been held On the
hish,s. courts of Illinois and Missouri that the
mining uI coal I- private business. that IL D.
not. like railroad fares and yle'ato- charges,
within th- power 10 regulate the price ot com
ruodfti.e. that Ih- granger cases 10 not Apply
How. then, do YOU propos- 20 TAR ua olI ol ,ie
principle that ouT disputes with our employ
arr not matter OF public concern or regulation
can you compel Us To arUitratrt
Governor stone DO not hud u necessary 20
..e.-t maj I can. but ! say that the question
has become one which rises above your d4-pl'-S
r-j,b tb. miners / say that whether YOU are
right ior wrong. YOU ought 10 recognize the fact
tbst "a strike has existed for months, with no
rrosuact of an end before the necessity Tor coal
becofles ore affecting The lives ot the inhabitants
Of whole States You may say Nha' H"u PiraSt
1 bout Mitchell He has organized a battle Tor
IA bor and ne has reached the point Nhrie ny al
laws Of he is emitted 10 Iet"st'4tl"l as an
srtuaI rombatanf. maintaining an ehrctlEe torce
i'm thr field Iu the language OF international
Iav. b. has declared ua embargo which NJ can
" 90 -. m facts must b- recognized II You
,an nualIy beat him. so much the better for YOU
b,f the states affected have the flsh' Z" see u"
m neutral Il sufferer You own coal ln the
.artb and "a paramount pubuc hecrSSlB De
mands that you shan iut ~ I' III, '',,i, ii die
President Baer-1Lis IS all an a'doeIl!l. as
cussion How do you propose 10 force Us To
take vour view of cur duty 10 the publlt
Governor StOuv-Hy AN appeal 4" your inter
at AZ poiutirr out 20 YOU that you are on the
verge of an ahys- ly showing you tii-tt u -
a. -, IarreiIe and act upon the public opinion
!
BE- overwhelmed and taken out OF your hdIuS oS
:, lawful exercise Of the powers "i 'hT 'la'r,
,rt~ puElis is getting Nea-y Of your very i"Sl'aI
that Mitchell - IN the Wt"I-, '7
:, -lilstittIt. for coal When your coal Is 't!lAS
At ,on r,-r cent Of your normal price. anu even
-, r., mic. The demand exceeds IN" supply, II
Is ,I.in 10 every one that there must ne a mar
Gin ~ uroht which would JUSTIFY You lH FaElAl
Ia rar cent more for mining IL, q hattei OF as
man,- cents as people now paw collars our at
tir,-da Ia Dublic opinion savors more OF opsIiIa'S
than OF business o,,-,,..,- if tb.t
Prasi,sant Rarr-Wrll. your eXcellencN. II thal
IN IN ,-ou have 10 urge we VIII cnhJliu" - Dr
tbe iu,4ges Of how shall run our own DuS4-
ness ..-ts, ,.r,,.,rf,,-,
Coysrror Stone-You have taltH PIo'e''ol
in ,ie,,- Of the per cent of carbon IA your coal
40 ,ou wish 10 be the rst 10 suIrI ~ ON an IN
a,-ifa ble reduction Of the tarif oDsei " lLr
stand taken BY public men ana p"4'tlsSd- ~
,-sDtions They are keen students OF pCpiic
oninion VIII YOU ignore the acton oi lnt New
ynrk Damocratic Convention on NcdurSuaH, ih
s6Iocating the public ownership OF the mines
and coal business i,- . ,..,r,a ,,yi,. an |
- - %, ,-ctes II has no significance hr
same convention which advocated tI1et -, - 80
- $500 government should 90 into the busl-
- - mining coal With the irconsi-fency chaI-
,cteristic og the individual VINO 1o'teu lal
49, cbsreeT The President with lnsincerlty
20 advorating an amendment 10 'he 'oHStItu-
,tor tbat would enable the genefai soNeIHihSh'
- control trusts the Inconsistency chaTsed De
s1y tbat n would take nine years TO secure