The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-10-02
The Strike Enigma.

" T IS. of course sincerely to be
hoped that the efforts now being
Il made to bring the strike to an
end may be successful. The strike
has reached IL stage where i. is pinch
ing everybody Not alone is it spread
ing misery and havoc throughout the
anthracite territory, but'it is menacing
the employment of Thousands of work
ingmen at distance and the comfort
If not the health of millions in every
direction. Without eXaggeration it may
fairly be called the greatest menace
which the country has had within it's
borders. since the days of secession and
the longer it lasts the worse it becomes.
All these facts are fully understood
by intelligent Americans, who are sin
cerely hopeful that the menace will soon
break and disappear. But we confess
our inability to see the usefulness of
public meetings such as the one pro-
posed by the mayor of Detroit or of in
discriminate outcry by persons who
have no practical suggestions to offer
The situation calls instead for calm
Judgment and self-control on the part
of the leaders of public opinion. AS an
offset to some of the hysteria now
prevalent, suppose we consider for a
moment Il few fundamental truths.
The coal mines are private property
The government can no more seize
them than it could seize the furniture
OF the striking miners. AS President
Roosevelt found out when he consulted
legal authority, there is no way by
which the government can lawfully
take hand in settling the strike. And
even If there were way, the govern
ment, with all its power, could not
legally force Il single striker to work
against his will. There is one thing and
only one thing which the government
can do, if it has not already done it:
and that Is to protect from intimida-
tion and from any ana all forms of un-
lawful interference or oppression the
man in the coal fields who either is at
work in the mines or wants to 60 to
work in them. We who live in the
mining region know that there has been
systematic and Wholesale intimidation
and terrorism directed to the end of
soaring into continued idleness men
who want and whose conditions need
work, wages and self-support 1t is the
\duty of the government to put stop
80 far as it can to such Il condition of
laWlessncss. Then, il the strike long
remains intact, it will be time to con-
slder> other measures
Ihe action of the president i'm sum
moning the coal presidents and John
, Mitchell to conference is courage
Gus zone, likely to increase the presi-
Cttent's understanding of the matters at
issue, but we do not expect that it will
have other result No power resides in
the president of the United States to
compel and very little to persuade men
acting as trustees for vested interests
to accept conditions which they feel
would be fatal to the orderly conduct
and necessary discipline of their busi-
ness, In that respect the conference is
necessarily unequal, representing on the
one band full legal responsibility cover
ing any agreements made and on the
other an organization newly formed in
the anthracite region, without RESPONSE
bility in the legal sense however COM
pact, loyal and determined otherwise,
and representing very largely one mans
astureness and power to impress his
ideas and ambitions on those numbered
amoHgohis following, Unless it be that
both sides have tired of the struggle and
want some manufactured opportunity
to lay down gracefully, we cannot find
ground In the proposed meeting for
holding out to our readers optimistic
assurances; though II good shall come
from the daring move. it will, of course,
be welcome. Should nothing come, there
will be little encouragement for further
intereession. In any event, the presi-
dent has shown characteristic bravery
and straightforwardness in his method
OF approach to this difficult problem,
and has exhibited honest solicitude for
the public welfare.
word now to those citizens who feel
that something radical, though they
know aot what should he done 10 settle