Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-10-24
|BLAMESREPUBLICANS
Richard Olney Says Coal Strike Is
the Fruit of Protection.
Scores Operators for illegal Acts ans
UphOIds Right of Labor to COM
bine-HOpes for Demo-
cratic Victory.

the Democratic Club of Massachusetts,
to Col. William A. CASTOR, the party
candidate for governor, at Boston, Sat
urday, October II.
Mr.. Olney described present condi-
tions in the anthracite coal fields as the
result of republican rule. Forty years
of partnership with protected indus
tries had placed public officials and
some private citizens in positions
where they deemed themselves above
the law. He criticised the Jealous
haste of the treasury department to
rush to the relief of Wall street specu-
lators, and, while crediting President
Roosevelt with good intentions, pointed
to the danger that might follow his eff
forts to settle the coal strike without
authority of law.
Democrats Headed Alright.
Mr.. Olney's speech follows:
"Mr Chairman and Gentlemen: / well
come the opportunity to declare my belief
not only that the democratic party is now
heading in the right direction, and is toll
erably sure of ultimately recovering Its
old-time ascendency, but that that result
Is essentially to the welfare of the Amer
lean people. There is one aspect of the
present situation to which desire to brief
ty call your attention.
1.-The vital prin ciple as we'll as distin-
gushing merit of our political institutions
consists in liberty regulated by law with
the exception of two Cleveland administra-
lions, the republican party has been in
control of the national government for
period of more than 20 years. Where it has
landed US as respects liberty will not now
consider But where has it landed US as
respects law, which has no right to the
name, unless it is the same for the million
aire anG for beggar?
The signs of the times are that under
md
through the national government, 40 years
of partnership with the protected, indus
tries, we have come to a pass where public
officials we'll as private citizens deem
themselves above the law.
WITNESS the Jealous haste with which
the treasury rusheS to the relief of Wall
street spectators by novel and forced
construction of the national banking law.
Witness the astonishing proceeding of the
same department in its instructions to sub
ordinate officers respecting the duties to
be collected on coal
RoOseveIts Action Dangerous.
But the generally lawless atmosphere in
which protected republican reign has en-
veloped US is even more strikingly illus
trated by the recent presidential demon
stration upon the coal strike. There are
those who say that as the president dis
claimed any official duty or relation to the
matter, he should not have interferedl
There is something to be said for that view.
Though his office is charged with great
functions and invested with great powers,
the president is a constitutional officer
whose sphere of action is strictly limited by
law. Within that sphere he is well-nigh
absolute; without he is legally impotent.
When, therefore, he goes without 1t, the
danger is that he may fail and be defed. and
that his great office may lose prestige and
power, and thus be less capable of perform
Ing its legitimate duties.
THE president, for example, is our repre-
sentative with foreign powers VIII 1t
I, &c hof heQl q
dozen private citizens are found swapping
their fingers in his face? The presidents
overture to the coal operators was prompt
ed by the best motives and should have been
treated with respectful consideration 1t
must have been declined courteously, even
If firmly.
But the opportunity to administer
snub to the president was too tempting
Accordingly he was not only treated as
rash intermeddler; he was also lectureG
upon the law and facts of the case, and. to
crown ALL was notified that The cause of
the trouble was laWlessness, which he was
sarcas tic3lly invited to suppress.
For sheer audacity, this attitude of the
coal operators could hardly be matched
and nothing could more strongly emphasize
the dfsrespect into which the law of the
land has been brought by long-continue6'F re-
publican domination.
Operators Defy the Law.
'Yet, who are they who were so insist
ent upon the suppression of lawlessness in
y,
blushing and persistent of laWbreakers. For
years they have defied the law of Pennsyl-
vania, which forbids common carriers en-
| ga giEg in the business of mining. For years
| they have Disseminated between Gus toners
| In the freight charges on their raiIroa dS
| In violation of the in terstate commerce Ia w.
For years they have unlawfulIy monopo-
| uZed interstate commerce in violation of
| the Sherman antitrust law.
Indeed, the very best excuse and expla-
nation of their astonishing attitude at
| the Washington conference is that. having
violated so many laws for so long and so
| many times, they might rightfully think
| they were wholly immune from either pun
| ishment or reproach.
1T is sometimes urged in eXtenuation of
| the coal operators foohshIy offensive tone
| at the conference that they were enraged
at the recognition of labor unions. and the
| presence by invitation of their representa-
| tive. If that be so, they must be as blind
| to the salient facts of the era they are liv-
! ing in as they oblivious of legal obliga-
| tons.
| Right of Labor to Combine.
| 'In these days of combinations by cap
| ftal on scale and to All extent as startling
as 1t is unprecedented can they possibly
| Imagine that labor is to be denied eQuiva-
| lent right of combina ton? If they do. it
is only another instance of their complete
| indifference to the law of the land.
I'm 1894 receivers of railroad were
| brought into court on claim that laborers
| ought not to be discharged because of
| membership of labor union. Though the
| court was a federal court, 1t sat in Penn
| sylvania. and the petitioners got nothing
| from that court.
| But what followed? In a year or two
| Pennsylvania made it a criminal offense to
/ deprive man of work because he belonged
| to a labor union. In 1898 congress not only
cid the same thing. but in a statute proviG-
| Ing for the arbitration of labor disputes
expressly made labor organizations par
| ties to such arbitration. This was in adf1i-
ton to the previous legislation by congress
| encouraging and providing for the incor-
poration of labor unions. In ignoring them.
| therefore, the coal operators simply ignore
and condemn the law of the land.
| 81 will detain you. Mr.. Chairman, but a
moment longer In the course of the pOlif-