Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-10-13
OLNEY FLAYS
THE COAL
BARONS
MEMBER or THE CLEVELAND
CABINET USES LASH ON THE
COAL OPERATORS IN HIS
SPEECH.


OF the present state campaign was the
dinner which the Democratic club OF
Massachusetts, rendered tonight to Colonel
William A Castor. the party candidate
for governor. over 80 followers listened
10 speeches by Richard Olney. former sec
retary OF state: Charles 5. Hamlin. Jo-
Eiah Quincy. John r. Thayer. congress-
man from the third district; Henry h
Hollis Democratic candidate for gov
ernor IN New Hampshire and Colonel
CASTOR.
At. Olney was cheered for some min
utes when he arose 70 speak Many
greeted him as the next president
he said in part:
sssrr Cyhairrnan and Gentlemen: well
come the opportunity to declare my belief
not only that the Democratic party Is
now heading IN the right direction ana IS
tolerably sure OF ultimately recovering
its old time ascendancy, but that that
result Is essential 20 the welfare or the
American people. There Is one aspect OF
the present situation 20 which desire 70
briefly call your attention.
The vital principle as well as the dis
tingulshing merit OF our political insti-
tutfons consist IN liberty regulated by
law With the exception OF the two
Cleveland administrations the Republican
marty has been in control Of the national
government for a period Of more than
forty years Where Il has landed us as
RESPECTS liberty, viii not now consider.
But where has Il landed US as respects
law which has no right 70 the name un-
less Il Is the same for the millionaire and
for the beggarI
ss,rhe signs OF the times are that under
the regime OF the Republican party and
through the national government, forty
years OF partnership with the protected
industries. We have come 20 a pass where
public officials as well as private citizens
deem themselves above the law
The Zeal Of the Party.
witness the zealous haste with which
the treasury rushes 70 the relief OF Wall
street SPECTATORS by a novel and fore
ed construction Of the national banking
law. Witness the astonishing proceeding
OF the same department IN its instruction
70 subordinate Offices respecting the du-
ties 10 be collected on coal. But the gen.
orally lawiess atmosphere in which pro-
tected Republican reign has enveloped
Us is even more strikingly illustrated BY
the recent presidential demonstration up
on the coal strike. There are those who
say that as the president disclaimed any
official duty or relation TO the matter, he
should not have interfered. There Is
somsthing 70 be said for that view.
Though his office Is charged with great
functions and invested with great powers
the president IS a constitutional officer
whose sphere OF action is strictly limited
BY law.
within that sphere he is wei nigh alb
solute-w1thout he Is legally impotent
When. therefore. he goes without Il the
danger Is that be may fall and be defied
and that his great ONCE may lose prestige
and power and thus be less capable Of
performing it's legitimate duties.
The president. for example. is our rep
wrrNnN a.
strengthen his hands that some half a
dozen private citizens are found swapping
their fingers in his face? The presidents
overture TO the coal operators was
pronrted BY the best motives and should
ha~a been treated with respectful consid-
Grafton. II must have been declined cOur-
teOusly. even II firmly.
But the opportunity to administer a
Enub to the president was too tempting.
Accordingly he was not only treated as a
rash intermeddler; he was also lectured
upon the law and facts OF the case. and
10 crown all. was notified that the cause
OF the troubles was lawlessness. which
he was sarcastically invited TO suppress.
Coal. Barons Lashed.
For sheer audacity this attitude OF the
coal operators could hardly be matched
and nothing could more strongly empha-
size the disrepute into which the law OF
the AaAu mas UEEA UEOlknL % luis NoA-
tinued Republican domination.
Yet who are they who were so insist
ent upon the suppression OF lawlessness
IN the mining regions? Why. the most un-
blushing and persistent OF lawbreakers.
For years they have defied the law OF
Pennsylvania which fOrbids common car
riers engaging IN the business OF mining.
For years they have Disseminated be-
tween customers IN the freight charges on
their railroads in violation OF the inter-
state commerce law. For years they have
unlawfully mOnopOlized interstate COM
merce in violation OF the Sherman anti
trust law.
Indeed. the very best excuse and ex-
PLANTATION OF their astonishing attitude at
the Washington conference is that. hav-
ing violated so many laws for so long
and so many times. they might rghtfully
think they were wholly immune from
either punishment or reprOach.
1T Is sometimes urged I'm extenuation OF
the coal operators foolishly offensive tone
at the conference that they were enraged
at the recognition Of labor unions and the
presence by invitation OF their representa-
tives. IL that be so. they must be as blind
20 the salient facts OF the era they are
living In as they are oblivi0us OF legal OBJ
legations.
in these days OF combination by capt.
tai on a scale and 70 an extent as startling
as Il Is unprecedented. can they possibly
imagine that labor Is TO be denied an
equivalent right OF combination? II they
do. II is only snOther instance Of their
complete indifference 70 the law OF the
lend.
I'm 1884 receivers Of a railroad were
brought into court on a claim that labor
ers ought not 70 be discharged because of
membership Of labor unions. Though the
court was a federal court. II sat in Penn
Eylvania. and the petitioners got nothing
from that court.
Law Is Not Respected.
'.But what f0llowed2 In a year or two
Pennsylvania made IL a criminal offense
20 deprive a man OF work because he be-
longed 20 a labor union. In 1s9S congress
no. only did the same thing. but in a
statute providing for the arbitration OF
labor disputes. expressly made labor or
ganizations parties 20 such arbitration.
This was in addition 10 the previous legis-
lation By congress encouraging and pro-
viding for the Incorporation OF labor
unions. in Ignoring them. therefore. the
coal operators simply ignore and con-
denim tie law Of the land.
In the course OF the political campaign
now going on. Republican orators are
sure 20 wax eloquent In deprecating
change. To all such olatory. while there
are many good answers. there is one that
is conclusive
Law. supreme and equal for all men
Is 70 the American people what the ark
Of the covenant was 10 the Jews OF