The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-09-10
4BR4M S. HEWITT
on THE
coal STRIKE.
(New York Tribune.)

from some recognized advocate of trade
organizations as beneficial agencies for
the improvement of the condition OF
workingmen. For quarter of cen
fury l have uniformly maintained the
right and the duty of association. both
on the part Of employers and employees.
Such organizations. however must be
for lawful purposes and must look 10
the accomplishment Of results founded
on justice. When claims are made con-
trary 10 the fundamental conditions
upon which society is founded they
must be resisted at ali hazards. I am
clear that the claims OF Mr.. Mitchell
and the organization over which he pre-
sides are in contravention Of the prin-
ciples of free government and OF the
rights OF men 10 earn their living In
any lawful way, without interference
from organized labor or organized cap
ital.
The unhappy controversy now exist
ing 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 OBJ
Ject of the strike, but as matter of
fact IL Is notorious that the real object
is 10 secure the recognition of his ma
| tonal organization as an authority en-
| titled to decide upon the rates of wages
and the conditions of labor in the coal
! fields wherever situated. If this de-
mand be conceded il viii not be posi-
| bic for any man not holding a union
card TO secure employment in the coal
fields. This viii amount to a denial of
the rights of every man to sell his labor
! in a free market. The concession of
| this demand viii make Mr.. Mitchell
the dictator of the coal business and
put him in control of votes enough to
decide the next presidential election.
The right of labor is inherent in every
human being and cannot be surrendered
without the sacrifice of individual lib
erty and of private property. 1t there
fore cannot be arbitrated any more
than the right Of a man to his own
home if it shall be claimed by an out
slider who prOffers arbitration. An
offer of arbitration is always attractive,
but there are many things which can
not be submitted 10 arbitration, and
among them none is so important to the
workingman as the right to sell his Ia
Dor In a free market. The operators
cannot yield this point without being
disloyal to the owners of the property
and TO the workmen who carry on the
operations.
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 en-
ployment and of labor upon which the
whole structure 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 declin-
ing TO arbitrate question which is in
the domain of conscience and involves
the personal liberty Of the individual.
The only solution OF the trouble is
for Mr.. Mitchell to order the strike off
without delay. When this is done, if
there be grievances to be abated they |
will be promptly adjusted between the |
local operators and the local unions. |
The right of association is not in ques- !
ton. This is admitted by both employ |
ers and employees. What is denied, and |
properly so, is the power. by the issue i
Of union cards, to refuse employment /
10 non-union men, and thus condemn |
them 10 ostracism, starvation and /
death. Such a result is abhorrent to (
justice and is fatal TO personal liberty. I
IL is claimed in some quarters and |
alleged 10 be the general opinion that |
the operators ought to resume work 4
without regard TO the menacing condi- |
tions with which the anthracite coal /
mines are now surrounded Such a po- |
sition does not appear to me to be rea-
sOnable. AS the owners of property, |
the operators undoubtedly owe a duty /
TO the community, which is suffering
great loss from the scarcity Of fuel /
The right of private property. guaran-
teed by the constitution, is always sub
ject TO the underlying principle that it
is to be used so as not to damage So
ciety.
Any claim of the operators, therefore,
that they can 90 with their own as they
see mt does not rest upon a sound
foundation. If, however, in the recog-
milton of their duty to the public they
are compelled to respect other funda-
mental conditions equally, If not more,
important to the public welfare, they
would be false 10 their duty if they
should yield 10 clamor and pressure
from those who have not carefully con-
sidered the consequences of such ac-
ton. There is principle more i'm
portant than the obligation OF private
TO subordinate Itself to the
general welfare. The demand of any
man or set of men, not occupying pub
lie office, To decide upon the conditions
upon which labor shall seek it's living.
and to make ii subject to a license
from irresponsible leaders. whether rep
capital or labor. is in effect
a claim to the power of life and death.
and can never be conceded without a
base surrender of duty to greed.
The coal operators. therefore. are not
fighting so much for the control of
their own property as for the right of
I h frf Ns,r, ]
without interference from
or men who have 10
right to control his freedom OF action.
Finally. the claim of the United Mine
Workers organization TO control the
entire coal industry Of the country is
based upon an impraeticable idea. Very
little knowledge is necessary to show
that the coal regions of the United
States differ so much from each other
that the policy which is adapted TO one
IS utterly unsnited TO another. More
)ver the various mines differ from
each other in conditions, recurring
careful adjustment in the wages of Ia
Dor, and in some respects in the hours
to keep them in working or
Ter All that a national organization
;ould possibly do would be to support
he claim of workmen who for anv
'eason are dissatisfied with the condi-
ions which prevail in any particular
Ocal.ty or mine
But TO call general instead of a To-
al strike when a local grievance is net 1
adjusted in a satisfactory way is an {
outrage of such vast proportions that !
I cannot for a moment be tolerated bv
| free people. Moreover, in this dav
II free discussion and the publicity of 8
III the facts through the newspapers. {
here is no possibility that any coal
operator could or would resist demands 7
which are founded upon justice. The
'oal mines are all under official inspec- I
ion. generally by officers who synpa- Z