Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-10-30
OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW
For the Times. Republican.

With all of the rejoicing that comes
with the end of the coal strike there Is
the possibility that the cause OF the
end, the factor that forced the compro-
mise, will be forgotten. Divine Right
Baer and President Mitchell realize the
force that got them to agree to arbi-
tration. j. p. Morgan, an adept in feel
ing the public pulse, realized long be-
fore the operators and miners did that
there was an Irresistible force at work
that sooner or later would utterly de-
feat one party or the other. President
Roosevelt, all credit to his successful
efforts, was only the mouthpiece What
settled the big coal strike of 1902 was
public opinion.
OF course some will not admit this.
Eut take for the sake OF the argument
the miners side of the contest. THESE
men lived in idleness tor five months
largely by contributions OF their broth-
err workers and the generous donations
of the public. While they were battling
for their rights bread-and- was
always a necessity. Theoretically and
practically the miners union cared but
little for the inevitable suffering ahead
IL the strike was not settled before VIM
ter. To them this suffering was only a
side issue, If they could defeat the coal
barons But when the public de-
manded arbitration. when the public
said both sides must give away and al
low others to settle the differences,
there was an implied threat that con-
tributions would cease and the miners
and their families would see hungry
faces III their midst. Public opinion
was ready to say. IF you are willing
that others shall go cold. we will not
prevent you from going hungry"
But the coal barons don't care for
public opinion. Is that so? To be sure
on their first visit to President Roose-
Welt they said they had nothing to ar
nitrate. The business was theirs. They
would run it to suit themselves. Damn
the public!" as the senior Vanderbilt
once remarked. But eight days after
all of this clustering talk they did offer
to arbitrate. ."They would never recog-
nize the miners union" What caused
the recognition eight days after? Sim
ply public opinion. The public began to
talk of the government Selling the
Of the public and miners and mine
owners. The public began TO talk of
an extra session of congress and inves-
t;gating committees. And that settled
it, Rather than show the public their
Illegal practices and enormous profits
these railroad mine operators con-
sented to arbitrate. They, like the
miners union, cared Eothing for the
inconvenience to the public, cared less
than nothing If the poor people of our
big cities were paying as they were
cent pound for hard coal. These We're
only incidental affairs. connected with
their determined effort to destroy the
miners union. But they did fear the
possible publicity of their nefarious
practices. And so they sent j. p. Nor
gan to Washington and yielded to
every suggestion of President Roose-
Welt.
1t seems strange that in this land of
the free 1t takes public opinion longer
to have its influence felt than else
where. In France they commence
cutting off heads, while we are talking
the matter over. 1t took this country
years before public opinion could act in
the matter of freeing Cuba. We are
working out many big social problems
very slowly while New Zealand and
Australia and Switzerland are actually
arriving at results, but 1t must be admit
ted not always the true answer to the
problems. Nevertheless. II we are slow
we are sure. It took Boss Tweed four
teen years to find out there was such
thing as public opinion. But when he
finally realized there was such thing
there also came to his knowledge that
"a ...o. ;,raofetjhVa