Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-10-02
BISHOPS SHpRoRF, Of
THE MINE OPERATORS

~ "t'tt ~ %'hti S'S
DIR. Etieibert Talbot says the Refusal TO
Arbitrate Was Justified-He Demands
That violence he stopped.
DR.. Ethelbert Talbot, bishop of the
Episcopal Church in Central Pennsyl-
vania, has issue a signed statement re-
viewing the strike situation, which is
favorable to the operators. He says
the anarchy and rioting should be-
stopped in "a hours. The letter in part
is.
s'The coal trikegcontinues.,g Anthra-I
cite is becoming scarce, and as q result
the price is steadily advancing. Cold
weather is coming on. and that which
was at first only a serious inconven-
fence is now a public calamity, bring
ing in its train suffering and hardship.
So much has been. written on the sub
ject that | should not presume to refer
TO it again save in the hope of remov-
ing some misapprehensions which have
naturally arisen.
"Inasmuch as the entire anthracite
region is comprised within the limits
of my own diocese of Central Pennsyl-.
| vania, have necessarily been more or
less familiar with the conditions which
| have obtained from the beginning.
| Many of my clergy are located in the
| mining towns and we are feeling
keenly the anxiety and distress which
prevail on every hand, IA
My sympathies, therefore, are
strongly enlisted in behalf Of the
| thousands of miners, who, with their,
| families, inevitably suffer as result
of months passed without wages and
any adequate means of support.
Whether the miner is right or wrong,
he would be strangely lacking in the
instincts of common humanity who
could sec what / have seen and not be
touched with a feoling of tenderness
ana compassion for those who must
4 endure such hardships. gf -s'
"But in considering the whole
situation Justice as we'll as mercy de-
mands that we bear in mind certain
| facts. In the first place, the striking
miners preoi pitated the crisis and went
out when no real grievances existed
which could not have been adjusted
peaceably. 1t is now we'll known, and
even expressed by their leaders, that
the crux in the whole matter is the
recognition of an organization known
as the Miners Union. The nne prob
lem in the coal regions today is adj
equate and thorough protection to
every man 10 exercise his inalienable
right to sell his labor when and how
! lie can find market for it.
''On the other hand, tho one chief
demand made by the strike Leaders is
that their organization be recognized.
In other words, that the owners of the
property should not deal with the mon
in their employ when differences arise.
but with an outside party. This
| So, r,Af ipo fad
and has no moral or financial RESPONSE
bility. To grant this demand for
recognition means thatSothe operators
shall no longer manage their OWE
business, but that it shall be, in the
last resort, in the power of an organi
cation to which the owners mus
appeal for consent to employ or dismis:
,, even breaker boy or an Incompetent
, or worthless miner. 1t is evident M
business can be SO conducted and M
private individual could or woulc
stand it for a moment.
But some will say why not refel
all these questions to Board of Arbi
tration chosen by both sides? Why d.
the operators refuse so reasonable ant
fair solution. Of the difficulty? Ii
reply it cannot be too plainly said tina
the operators are ready and have
always been ready to arbitrate ques
!. tions Of wages and conditions Of laho
with their own men, but how can tn
! question of whether a man has RICH
: to conduct his own business be sub
: mitted to arbitration? For the opera
9 tors to surrender this inherent RICH
! would not be only q calamity to all tn
industrial interests of our country
: but an infringement of personal libert
repugnant to the genius and spirit o
+. Americanism.
: Without taking sides with th
= operators or miners, the time ha
suddenly come when the moral sup
!, port of every good man who reverence
: law and order should be given to tn
:, maintenance Of peace and the proteo
I tion of the individual in the exercis
of his God given rights. At4 3ss4
= 1.-THE right and even the duty c
y labor to organize for its own protectio
:. and the betterment of Its conditions
Z not here called in question, nor is th
. right at all at stake in this issue i
= Pennsylvania. On the contrary, on
i of the saddest thoughts in connectio
! with this whole matter is the absenc
of real leadership over the. miners
q organization. The qualities of rea1
=, masterful leadership have been singu
y larry lacking, otherwise the individui
miner, who deserves and has our flu
70 sympathy, would never have bee
placed in an attitude where the SUI
port an intelligent public sentiment
as voiced by the press and pulpit, ooul
not he given him. He has been wos
fully duped and unwittingly sacrifice
" to the ,overweening and selfish amb
n tions Of his imaginary friends.
10 "Ethelhert Talbot
o Bishop of Central Pennsylvania. "