The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-10-17
The Men of the Hour /.

We have no thought OF the personal SUI
fering and industrial disturbance caused
by famine In coal. A far worse dis
aster than that was at one time so i'm
minent as apparently to be unavoidable,
Under these circumstances the credit
for preventing it Is very great. and II Is
proper to call public attention to those
to whom that credit is due.
However great the scale OF the United
Mine Workers movement in the anthra-
cite coal fields, no strike ever marked
out clearer or straighter path OF action
for public officials concerned with IT,
Tho strikers had scarcely left the mines
before they saw that they had not the
monopoly Of labor necessary for success.
They proved, by resorting to brute force
in the very earliest stages, that in their
judgment their only recourse was to
violence, abhorrent to justice and for
hidden by law. Before employing il
largely they attempted to conquer by
deliberately devoting the mines TO de-
struction; they tried TO flood them. Even
against that. however, the operators
stood firm, and the pirate-like under
taking failed. Thereupon, lawlessness
grew into riot and the evidence that the
strikers saw their only hope In violence
accumulated steadily until it reached the
appalling volume which, in the nature OF
things, has boon but partially recorded
In the press.
At the mines the battle was over the
life Of the law and the right Of citize
to labor without obtaining license from
a trade union. For the resolute and
faithful official there was the plain duty
Of suppressng lawlessness and defend
ing the rights which it assailed. The
lawlessness itself was proof that TO sup
press II would be to start the mining Of
coal. Yet Governor STONE, by his shame
less refusal to permit military protection,
and Governor ODEL., by manifestation
OF sympathy with MITCHELL and his
purposes, did what they could to aid in
the defeat Of those upon whom the blows
Of lawlessness were falling. And be-
hind them stood the President OF the
United States.
II, therefore, MITCHELL's warfare had
won under this extraordinary official
sanction, IL Is not too much TO say
that there would have been complete
disruption OF confidence in the Govern
ment, and the majority OF American
citizens would have been at the mercy
Of an irresponsible, or even criminal
despotism.
Fortunately, one OF the several parties
to the conflict saw the danger and
met it with an immovable opposition.
The coal operators seeing lawlessness
unrebuked and observing the madness
with which a portion of the people en-
couragedxhe strikers in their policy OF
outrage, concluded that what they them
selves could do properly toward guard
ing the public from the effects of coal
famine should be done. So, contrary
to their first determination, they offered
arbitration on erery question but one.
They refused to hazard the non-union
mans right to work.
Here Is a clause from the document
submitted to President ROOSEVELT on
which the existing Commission of set
Element Is based:
The managers Of the different coal properties
therefore restate their position:
THAT they arc not discriminating against the
United Mine Workers. bu, they insist that the
miners union shall not discriminate against oil
refuse to work with non union men.
IL being tho understanding that the miners
viii cease all Interference with and persecution OF
any non union men who are working or shall here
after work.
The one principle which the managers
OF the coal roads would not sacrifice,
even to the general need of coal. was
this right to work independently of JOHN
MITCHELL or those like him
Clear and emphatic as this pronounce
ment was document printed in another
column OF this mornings Sun shows
into what panic the men directly affected
by II we're thrown, and we reproduce il
in order to impress more distinctly upon
peoples minds the nature of the calamity
from which they have been protected
The fear referred to is explained easily
There were still conferences to be helo
and possibly compromises to be enforced
before the final settlement. What i
the operators failed to hold their ground
The Commission, however, has been ap
pointed and approved, and compromise
has not involved the single provision
Of the operators Offer of arbitration
That stands.
At no time has a more vital ISSUE
been at stake in the country, and w
have no hesitation in naming the mer
who, against obstacles Of Unprecedented
weight, have upheld the right, the men
that II, who have rcsolutely stood for fai
play and the American idea. They are
JOHN PIERPoNT MORGAN and the presi
dents Of the coal companies, to wit
GEORGE +. BAER, f.. B. THOMAS, w, II
TRUEsDALE, T. p. FOWLER, r. NJ. OILY
PLANT and ALFRED WALTERS.