The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-12-18
Facing the Crisis.

Facing the Crisis.
Paper Read Before the Chautd,tqua Circle.
"HE causes that led to the miners
strike you are too we'll &C..
quainted with to be interested
in discourse upon them.
The newspapers have bored the public
full plenty with the strikers troubles
and the divine affinity of the Bugbear
of the coal barons. My paper deals
with neither the miners nor coal oper-
atoIs, but with the man who put the
coal miners back to their work and
sent the operators whining about their
business. The man of the hour, who
faced the crisis and solved the problem
President Roosevelt.
No shrinking from duty, no halting,
hypocritical, half-heartedness, but
meeting the issue face to face as a
brave man should and using all means
within his power to overwheim the
difficulty. Political effect, the cynical
say-very we'll, but remember that,
granting even this, President Roosevelt
has done the right thing at the right
time, and if doing that which is right
by our fellow men is effectual politics
it is very good policy for politicians
to pursue. These United States will
never grow tired of that sort of pol
itics. Let Mr.. Roosevelt's critics re-
member this one fact, that he did what
he could to prevent winter of suffer
ing.
Compare, his action with that of
President Cleveland at the time of the
last great railroad strike. You remem-
ber the ponderous dignity Mr.. Cleve-
land assumed during that period of
trouble and how be rolled out elephan-
tine epigrams upon the situation. His
whole policy during that time of un-
rest reminded one of stupendous
farce comedy.
The splendid way in which Mr..
Roosevelt took the initiative without
the guidance of precedent eloquent
ly emphasizes the moral courage of the
man and his high purpose stamps him
a man of unimpeachable integrity. He
is the president of the whole republic
and not the tool of any party organiza-
tion, and is the only chief executive
since Lincoln who has not stood apart
and aloft from the people.
John Mitchell, the labor leader, was
shown as much courtesy and listened
to with more respect than Mr.. Baer
who represents the capitalistic element
of the whole country. Why was this
Feeling safe in the power and prestige
which wealth gives, Mr.. Baer sought
to intimidate the president But he
found that the mantle of Office covered
a man intensely American,-a man
willing to wreck his party organiza-
tion, if that was necessary, in order
that injustice should not be done to
the people.
Let us glance for moment at the
history of Mr. Roosevelt's career and
see what manner of man he is. His
whole career has been a logical one
By that mean he is just the sort OF
man his antecedents and training
should produce. We find that his life
has been busy one, full of action, and
the part he has taken in public affairs
has been clean and honorable. He has
made many enemies, but such as have
umbrage against him have been con
founded by the splendid manliness Of
the man. There is always disgruhtled
minority that snaps and howls at the
heels of any public man who strives tc
emulate q lofty ideal.
u A brief summary of the personnel o1
the commission appointed by the pres
ident to adjust the grievances of the
contending parties in the anthracite
'Icoal strike may not be out of placs