Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-16
COAL STRIKE AND POLITICS
Republicans Worried Lest the
Struggle Hurt the Ticket.
Hopes OF the Democracy Expect TO At
tract Votes to the New York Ticket
of Those Who Suffer .nconven-
fence or Loss by the Strike.

If the politicians were able in 1900 60
control the coal operators to retreat Suf-
ticiently from the position they had taken
to make it possible to end the strike that
was instituted in the summer of that
year they have been this year thus far
unable to repeat that achievement. That
they are worried. at least those who are
OF the Republican party, no one could
have doubted who saw Senators Quay.
Pcnrose ana Piatt yesterday, or who is
| familiar enough with Governor Odcll 10
Know whom he is with great self-restrdlnt
attempting to conceal excitement, SuS-
pense. anxiety under the manner OF indif-
terence or contempt says the New YORK
correspondent of the Philadelphia Press.
Whcth tho politicians are justified in
! their fear that this disturbance i'm tic
| anthracite region may lead to something
| like disaster for the republicans or
whether they are suffering from ground
less apprehensions no one here can tell
! 1t is certain that the democracy of New
York is now counting upon two factors
| either Of which they say is strong enough
| to Justify them in predicting success upon
election day in November They now
! insist that the city of New York will re-
! turn a democratic plurality of not less
| than 1CN, 900. and some of these politicians
]
right in that estimate then Governor
! Odell is in danger Of defeat. for it is not
reaSona bic to presume that the republic
cans in other parts Of the state than
! New York city will furnish more than u
hundred thousand plurality for the ticket.
REACTION EXPECTED.
Upon this estimate Of a plurality in
New York in excess of 1000 the dcmoc-
/ racy bases its confidence in a victory
this fall When they arc asked why
they hgure a plurality in this city of
Y 100000 they reply that they count upon Il
reaction from tho fusion victory last fun
and the disappointment with the admin
| istration of Mayor Low. which has been
rolorless ana devoid Of any striking re-
suits 50 far, and in addition to this they
| depend upon the irritation of great
4 body among the voters who are wage
earncrs some of whom sympathiZc with
labor Organization. many of whom are
! members of these associations. and all
of whom have been facing the peril OF
the coal famine.
When democratic leaders are asked il
the socialistic plank of the democratic
platform, which calls for government
ownership and operation of all tho am.
thraCito mines. will not cause diSaffeC
tion among those who claim to be Jeffcr
sOnan democrats and who know ant
can explain what that term means, the
answer comes with the swiftnesS of
return shot in a duel For one Vot,
that plank will cost the democracy il
, will gain ten; it will lead to the absorb
: tipn by the regular democracy Of two
thirds Of those who have hitherto votcC
with the socialists or what is called the
social democracy When these demo
Gratis are reminded that they cannot de
fond that plank by reference to any dem
ocratic doctrine, they do not attempt Il
defend it in that way, but simply say
that the conditions of to-day justify
demand of that kind.
of course it is recognized that Mr.. Hi
expected by means of this plank in th'
platform. Inconsistent with all that h,
has ever preached as his doctrine. tC
capture the disseminated. what is Gale,
the labor vote and those who have beei
irrtatod because of their personal annoy
. ances or sufferings on account Of thu
strike. In other words Mr. Hill IA
) abandoned cardinal democratic doc
trine and did it in exactly the name
for which he condemned Colonel Bryan
= and those who followed Bryan in 1896.
THE PRESIDENTS SYMPATHGES.
: Some of those who have recently seei
President Roosevelt report that the per
sonal touch with opera tors and with rep
r"sentatiVes of the miners which wa
; possible by means of the confer enCc helC
in his convalescinE room at Washington
last Friday has caused him to feel no
a little irritation at the attitude the op
} orators took. not only towards the min
ers union and the whole issue but ais
2 at their implied resentment towards hin
for interfering at all. Some of the Presi
dents friends say that some of the re
0 marks made to him by the operators stir
, red him almost as much as did his eX
peritnCc with the trolley driver At Pitts
4 field. 50 that ne felt that if he had no
= been incapacitated by reason OF a wound