New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-30
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES.

The speech made to the miners convention
few weeks ago by President Mitchell. which
:had the effect of keeping the men in the b-
stuminous field at work, received general and
Ihearty commentator. Especially credtable
twere its emphatic assertion that agreements
s1nust be kept and its condemnation of sympa-
Efhetic strikes. In one particular, however, as
twas noted at the time, Mr.. Mitchell was seri-
Sously at fault. He made no allusion to the long
succession of deliberate. ingenious and cruel
lacts committed by his followers in the anthra-
.cite region for the purpose of intimidating men
tdesirous of exercising their right TO work for
wages satisfactory TO them. He had the best
possible opportunity TO denounce those brutali-
ities-the hanging in effigy the SANDER, the vile
insults. the preying on the fears of women and
lchildren, and all the various mental tortures
which had been employed in the name and for
t1he interest Of the strikers. But he said not one
WORD on the subject.
Partly in consequence as we must believe, OF
his failure to assert his influences On that occa-
sion in opposition TO practices of this sort the
{ strikers have advanced beyond the stage of In
/, timidation and are now resorting to violence at
{ many points. a sheriff has been assaulted and
shot collieries have been invaded. employees
driven from their work, others seeking employ
ment not merely turned back but dubbed into
submission, and men arrested by due process of
law released by force. In short, reign of the
mob has been started and riots are breaking out
at frequent intervals. Perhaps Mr.. Mitchels
authority is not sufficient TO prevent these out
RACES, and it may be that his silence at the time
of the convention on the subject of the meas
ures of intimidation which preceded and have
naturally led up TO them resulted from convic-
ton that the strikers would resent any inter-
ference with their policy and methods on his
part But, If so. that explanation is not an ex-
cuse- He failed to discharge an obligation
which, as their official leader and a man of SUI
perior intelligence. he owed to the men whom
he at least nominally commands, and on him
necessarily rests a large share of the RESPONSE
bility for what has followed.
1t may be admitted that there is increasing In
dignation in the public mind against the opera
tors, who have not appeared to be making any
determined effort to work the mines and who
are suspected of a willingness TO have the strike
continue and the price OF coal go up. without
regard to general Inconvenience and the serious
suffering of individuals. But the attitude of the
operators, however it may be judged is not the
most important consideration. II is not mainly
Tor their sake that public opinion is more and
more earnestly demanding that men DESTROYS
! OF going TO work for the wages offered them
shall have their right to do so firmly asserted
and maintained by the public authorities If Ia
on account of these men themselves that tho
practical denial of that right is arousing the
sympathetic attention Of the country. and the
sassoa Is that every intelligent citizen whose