Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-10-23
BLAMESREPUBLICAN
Richard Olnsy Says Coal Strike Is
the Fruit of Protection.
Scores Operators for Illegal Acts n
UphoIds Right of Labor 10 Conn
biae-Hopes for Demo-
cratic Victory.


President Cleveland's cabinet, was the
principal orator at a dinner given by
the Democratic Club of Massachusetts
to Col. William A. Castor, the party
candidate for governor, at Boston, Sat
urday, October II.
Mr.. Olney described present condi-
tions in the anthracite coal fields as the
result of republican rule. Forty years
of partnership with protected indus
tries had placed public officials and
some private citizens in positions
where they deemed themselves above
the law. He criticised the jealous
haste of the treasury department to
rush to the relief of Wall street specu-
lators, and, while crediting President
Roosevelt with goodintentions, pointed
to the danger that might follow his eff
forts to settle the coal strike without
authority of law.
Democrat Headed Alright.
Mr.. Olney's speech follows:
NJ Chairman and Gentlemen: l well
come the opportunity to declare my bellef
not only tina the democratic party Is now
heaGfng in the right direction, and is toll
erably sure of ultimately recovering its
old-time ~ascendency, but that that result
is essentially to the welfare OF the Amer
lean people, There is one aspect OF the
present situation to which | desire TO orlel-
ly call your attention.
The vital principle as well as olstih-
gushing merit of our political institutions
consists in liberty regulated by law. With
the exception of two Cleveland administra-
tons, the republican party has been IN
control of the national government Tor a
period of more than 10 years. Where 1t has
landed US as respects liberty | will not now
consider. But where has it landed US as
respects law, which has no right to the
name, unless it is the same for the million
aire and for the beggar?
THE signs of the times are that uhoei
the regime of the republican party aho
through the national government, 40 years
of partnership with the protected 1ndus'
tries, we have come to a pass where puph'
officials as well as private citizens ceem
themselves above the law.
"Witness the Jealous haste will Whlcf
the treasury rushes to the relief OF wal
street spectators by a novel ana forced
construction of the national banking law
Witness ne astonishing proceeding of tht
same department in its instructiors'to SUB
ordinate officers respecting the duties Il
be collected on coal.
RooseveIt's Action Dangerous.
"But the generally lawless atmosphere II
which protected republican reign mas en-
veloped us is ever more strikfngly Illus
trated by the recent presidential demon
~stration upon the coal strike. There ar
those who say that as the president dis
claimed any official duty or relation to TN
matter, he should not have mter1ereu
There is something to be said for that view
Though his office is charged with grea
functions and, invested with great powers
the president is a constitutional once
whose sphere of action is strictly limited b
law. Within that sphere he is well-nig
absolute; without he is legally impoten1
When, therefore, he goes without it, tn
dangeris that he may fail and be defed, an
, that his great office may lose prestige an
power, and thus be less capable of perform
ing its legitimate duties.
''The president, for example, is our repre-
sentative with foreign powers. VIII
strengthen his hands that some half
dozen private citizens are found snappln
their fingers in his face? The PRESIDENT
overture to the coal operators was promp
! ed by the best motives and should,have bee
' treated with respectful consideration.
l must have been declined courteously, eve
If firmly.
, But the opportunity to administer
, snub to the president was too tempting
Accordingly he was not only treated as
rash intermeddler; he was also lecture
upon the law and facts of the case, and,
crown all, was notified that the cause
the trouble was lawlessness, which he Wi
sarcastically invited to suppress.
For sheer audacity, this attitude OF II
coal operators could hardly be matche
and nothing could more strongly emphasi!
the disrespect into which the law of Il
land has been brought by long-continued'r
publican domination.
Operators Defy the Law.
d "Yet, who are they who were so insts
+ ent upon the suppression of lawlesSneSs
the mining regions? Why, the most u
u blushing and persistent of laWbreakers F
q years they have detied the law of PennsN
vania, which forbids common carriers e
gaging in the business of mining, For yea
they have Disseminated between custome
u in the freight charges on their railroa
=, in violation of the interstate commerce la
e For years they have unlawfully monop
: ilzed interstate in violation
y the Sherman antitrust law.
e Indeed, the very best excuse and exp
e nation of their astonishing attitude
the Washington conference is that, havi
violated so many laws for so long and
many times. they might rightful y thi
r they were wholly immune from either pu
l. ishment or reproach.
at is sometimes urged, in extenuation
y the coal operators foolishly offensive to
u, at the conference that they were enrAg
a at the recognition Of labor unions, and t
ri presence by invitation of their represent
= tive. If that be so, they must be as bill
10 to the salient facts of the era they are /
ing in as they are oblivious of legal oblie
1T tons.
h Right of Labor to Combine.
~ an these days of combinations by ca
y ttal on a scale and to an extent as Htartll
9. as it is unprecedented car they possit
I'd imagine that labor is to be denied an eaui,
e. lent right of combination? If they do,
n Is only another instance OF their compl,
~ Indifference to the law of the land.
IS "In 1894 receivers Of a railroad w
brought into court on claim that labor
"a ought not to be discharged because
membership of labor union. Though t
&c court was a federal court, it sat In Pei
a sylvania. and the petitioners got nothi
from that court.
but what followed? In a year or t
Pennsylvania made it a criminal offense
deprive a man of work because he belong
FL to a labor union. In 1898 congress not OF
~ did the same thing, but in a statute prov
:! ing for the arbitration of labor dispu
10 expressly made labor organizations p
a ties to such arbitration. This was In ad
n ton to the previous legislation by congr,
encouraging and providing for the inc
u. p~oration of labor unions. In ignoring the
oil therefore, the coal operators simply ign
e. and condemn the law of the land,
~ II will detain you, Mr.. Chairman, blu
:. moment longer. In the course Of the pc
ia ical campaign now going or republican
ators are sure to wax eloquent in deprec
CT ing change. To all such oratory, WI
there are many good answers, there is
that is conclusive.
in Law, supreme and equal for all men
a. to the American people what the ark
. the covenan was to the Jew of old WI
~, we ave 1t we need not fear for our safe
AS when We lose it we are far advanced on
H. high road to ruin. HeLct, If we would
enter upon that road, change and the {
u placement OF republication cannot co
n too soon or too Gecisivsly."
.he That there was danger of a ste