The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-10-09
TIE COAL PROBLEM.

The Bishop of Our diocese, Cen
trail Pennsylvania, has made public
statement concerning the strike
of the anthracite coal miners. The
President of the country has exer.
cised the power, not of his Office,
but OF the strong moral influence
which his position naturally carries,
and which bears all the greater
weight because of his fine manly
character. The matter is one which
vitally concerns all of us. Very
possibly it will bring all the discom.
fort and the actual suffering which,
with much foreboding, we are al
ready anticipating. Let me then,
as your Rector, present one or two
aspects of the matter 10 you.
Looming up larger and more
clearly to my mind, in this sad
business, is the changeless and in
vincible law-SM contains its o7OH
rehi6Htive benalD. In the past, the
operators and the miners alike have
deliberately sinned against their
responsibilities. And now to both
is being meted out a punishment.
Every fair minded man acknowl-
edges that there are grievances on
both sides, and that each has much
of justice for the standpoints which
they have assumed. But herein lies
the Nemesis of their wrong doing,
for neither will yield that which
once they might have done with
honor, because, apparently, they
cannot, without utter ruin to the
cause they champion.
Coal has become a vital necessity
of our present mode OF living,
whatever the future may have i'll
store for us. 1t is source of
great wealth to its producers.
There is a constant demand, and
little real fear of its ever being drug
on the market. Why then has
there been meted out. in the years
past, to the miner so much of sell
fish and actually cruel bondage ?
The mining industry is totally diff
ferent from any other, it cannot be
controlled by inhexible regulations.
Conditions vary with locality, and
grade of coal. But for all this,
there is never any need in any in
dustry of persistent injustice. The
operators may be anxious now to
De fair in their treatment to their
employees, but they themselves
have contributed in no light degree
to the troubles of the hour, which
they seem powerless to remit. AT
the same time, however, we must
hail with approval the possibility of
an adjustment which they suggest
ed to the President, viz. that griev-
ances should be referred to the
judges Of the Court of Common
Pleas Of the district in which the
colliery is situated" Why should
not the union accept this and end
the strike On the other hand,
the miners too have done their
wrong. Laborers' unions are Just
as legitimate as the combinations
formed by employers of labor, But
they have their proper functions,
and their limitations. The miners
union have exceeded both, they
have gone beyond their functions,
they have trespassed beyond their
limits. And now they too, in
obedience to the law, are suffering.
No workman of his own free will
engaged in labor, nor even any
number of them together, has a
right to dictate to the employer
about questions which belong solely
to the responsibility of the latter.
To volunteer information, and ad-
vice, or to present petitions-this
is certainly legitimate. But to pro-
ceed further, not only to dictate to
employers and laborers alike, but
also to shut down all labor, and
even to intimidate by unlawful acts
and threats all and any who prefer
TO subject their labor to the judg-
ment of the employer, and still
further, treacherously and coward
ly to attack and maltreat defence
less women and children-these are
surely wrongs which must inevita-
bly, bring their own retribution.
Whatever may be our sympathies
for the miners, and few are without
them, feel constrained to say that
their union which is morally re-
sponsible for the loss of life and
property recorded against it, has
put itself in the region of anarchy
where it ought never to be recog-
nized.
In the meantime, while thus both
sides are suffering the due reward
of their deeds, another sad feature
OF moral government is evident
the innocent are suffering with the