The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-27

At Bar Harbor, Me- Monday. Abram
s. Hewitt, ex-mayor of New York, was
asked whether arbitration was the only
means that remained whereby the
great anthracite coal strike might be
ended, and whether or not 1t was an
equitable solution OF the difficulty. He
said:
You ask whether the time has not ar
rived for arbitration in order to end the
coal strike in the anthracite region.
think the time has arrived when the plain
truth should be told. as well to the strlk-
ing miners as to the public. from some
recognized advocate of trade organiza-
tons as beneficial agencies for the I'M
provement of the condition of working
men. For a quarter of a century l nave
uniformly maintained the right and the
duty of association, both on the part of
employers and employees. Such organi-
cations, however, must be for lawful pur-
poses and must look to the accomplish
mcnt of results founded on justice. When
claims are made contrary to the funda-
mental conditions upon which society is
founded they must be resisted at all haz-
ards / am clear that the claims OF Mr..
Mitchell and the niG'"i% ="
he presides are in contraventon of the
principles of free government and or the
rights of men to earn their living in any
lawful way, without interference from
organized labor or organized capital.
WHAT MITCHELL SEEKS.
The unhappy controversy now existing
is not based upon any reasonable claim
which labor can make for shorter hours
or better wages. 1t is true that Mr..
Mitchell alleges this to be the object of
the strike but as a matter of fact 1t is
notorious that the real object is to secure
ha of nu
ton as an authority entitled to decide
upon the rates of wages and the condi-
tions of labor in the coal fields wherever
situated. If this demand be conceded 1t
will not be possible for any man not hold
ing a union card to secure employment
in the coal fields This will amount to q
denial of the rights of every man to sell
his labor in free market. The conces
sion of this demand will make Mr. Mitch
ell the dictator of the coal business and
put him in control of votes enough to
decide the next presidential election.
The right to labor is inherent in every
human being and cannot be surrendered
without the sacrifice of individual liberty
and of private property. 1t therefore
cannot be arbitratcd any more than the
right of man to his own home If it
shall be claimed by an outsider who prof
fers arbitration. An offer OF arbitration
is always attractive. but there are many
things which cannot be submitted to ar
bitration, and among them none is so i'm
portant to the workingman as the right
to sell his labor in a free market. The
operators cannot yield this point with
out being dsloyal to the owners of the
property and to the workmen who carry
on the operations.
REASON FOR NOT ARBlTRATING.
1t would be far better to abandon the
business of mining anthracite coal than
to concede the demand of any man or set
of men to deny the rights of employment
and of labor upon which the whole strc-
ture of free government is founded, and
to which this country owes phenomenal
progress. In my judgment, therefore the
operators are only doing their plain duty
in declining to arbitrate a question which
is in the domain of conscience and in
wolves the personal liberty of the indi-
vidual.
The only solution of the trouble is for
Mr. Mitchell to order the strike off with
out delay. When this is done, if there
be grievances to be abated they will be
promptly adjusted between the local OPP
orators and the local unions. The right
of association is not in question. This is
admitted by both employers and en-
poyes. What is denied, and properly so,
is the power, by the issue of union cards.
to refuse employment to non-union men,
anu tnuS condemn them 10 oStfaclSnl,
starvation and death. Such result is
abhorrent to justice and is fatal to per-
Sonal liberty.
RESUMPTION OF WORK
1t is claimed in some quarters, and al
legged to be the general opinion, that the
operators ought to resume work without
regard to the menacing conditions with
which the anthracite coal mines are now
surrounded. Such a position does not
appear to me to be reasonable. AS the