The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-09-13
wINrER pRosrEcrs GLooMY.

tween the coal operators and miners.
Indeed the situation Is really getting
TO be a desperate one andno one has
yet been nervy enough 70 hold out
any glittering hopes to the poor
working man. All signs point to
Winter of anguish and despair as a
result OF cold and hunger.
The recent announcement of Gov.
Stone. of Pennsylvania that hewould
call an extra session of the Legisla-
ture OF his State for the purpose OF
ending the coal strike, providing he
was assured OF the passage of a bill
that would settle the strike and pre-
vent Others, sounds insincere.
Where is the Legislative genius to
be found who could frame a bill that
would settle this strike and prevent
Others2
He certainly did not come TO the
front in the last session OF Pcunsyi-
vania Legislature. for that body was
distinguished only for its iniquitous
and unconstitutional legislation
Compulsory arbitration is con-
tradic;ion in terms. The prime es-
sential in arbitration i that the part
les in controversy agree 10 submit
their case TO a third party and abide
10y his decision. But il either OF the
parties refuse 10 submit hecaSe there
can be no arbitration.
There is no misunderstanding be-
tween the parties TO this strike. no
complication to beiog the issue. no
difficulties that could be removed 10y
board OF arbitration.
The miners demand raise in wages
and the operators refuse to grant it
This is the whole issue at stake and
blind man could easily see through
the entire issue.
There are. however, two remedies
that Governor Stone has "A constitu-
tional warrant &c apply. and which
would speedily terminate this strike
and prevent Others without calling "a
special session of the legislature. In
the first place the railroads are not
the property OF the railroad compan-
les. The idea that they are is as
preposterous as it Is pernicious.
The railroads OF the Stated Pennsyl-
vania belong to the people OF the
State, and they can at any time as
sumo control and management OF
them whenever they So desire. The
president of a railroad is n public
agent, and, therefore. liable TO re- d.
moval from office for misbehavior as
any other ministerial officer 1t il
utterly impossible to regard them in
any other light orimagine a different
relation, because Il railroad which is
not managed by n public agent can
not be a public highway. The constitu-
ton of Observation-Disclosures / ar
ticle 17-expressly declares all rail
roads to be public highways. Aman
or a corporation appointed to do a
public duty should perform it with an
eye single to the public interest. If
he prostitutes his authority for per
sonal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT he is guilty OF
malfeasance. and ought to be sum-
marily removed from office and d.
vested OF the trust with which he was !
clothed.
Now, why cannot Governor Stone
call the railroad presidents before
him and inform them that they have
not only signally failed to perform
their duty in the interest of the pub
lie, but that they have forfeited the !
charters OF the railroad corporations
by perverting their authority and
thereby paralyzing theinterests they
were created to serve? 4 railroad
corporation is as much a part of the
State government as a city corpora
tion. The officers OF the former as
much as the latter are agents and
trustees of the latter, and the public
has an interest precisely similar in
the honesty and fidelity of both.
Why, then, should extortion be con-
demned as criminal in one if it be
condoned when practiced by the
other? When the officers OF city
corporation manage its affairs to
enrich themselves at the expense of
the public they are sent to the peni-
tertiary. When the officials OF
railroad corporation paralyze the
; business OF the whole State, Cypress
and grind their miners and rob the
public, they claim to be Christian
men to whom God in his infinite