The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-06
LET US HAVE FOREIGN COAL.

There is now plainly no reIleuy
which the American people can imme-
diately pursue to avert the national ca
lamity which presents itself. The at
titude of the mine operators has render
ed any action whatever impossible in the
direction of securing access to the an
thracite deposits of Pennsylvania, save
alone the one Of a complete surrender
by the miners of all that they have so
long contended for. On it's face the
suggestion that the miners return to
work in order to save the people the
terrible suffering which impends over
them involves a great demand on their
patriotism without any compensation
whatever to them for the suffering
which they have undoubtedly endured.
The importation of coal from abroad
is the only remedy now available. The
people at Washington have given the
public the information through the
press that no extra session Of congress
will be called. T n G 10 b e hopes that
the decision, If 1t has been reached by
the president, will be reconsidered.
Such a session is imperatively demand
ed, if only for the purpose of remov-
ing all existing tariff restrictions on the
importation of Welsh and other foreign
anthracite coal. The present situa-
ton is insufferable, and national au-
thority must act in the premises in
one direction or another.
It seems perfectly plain that the
coal operators place infinite reliance
on their assumed control Of the govern
ment of the state Of Pennsylvania. That
thought seems to pervade the state
ment made by each of the operators
engaged in the recent attempt at
conference. They seem to consider
themselves securely buttressed against
attack in that direction; and from all
the country knows about the controll-
ing forces in Pennsylvania politics
their position is fully warranted.
The only two public agencies capable
of any action whatever in the present
terrible crisis are the general govern
ment and the government Of Penn
'sylvania. The country does not look
for any action whatever from the latter
source. Unless the national admins
tration lifts a helping hand the result
will be terrible to contemplate.
If it were military necessity which
confronted the country the federal gov
eminent would without a moments
hesitation seize the mines and, If neces-
sary, operate them. No military neces-
sity can be greater than that which
now presents itself to this peo-
pie. The civil agencies of gov
eminent may not have 1t in
their power to take such drastic
action; but that fact offers all the
more reason why every other resource
at it's disposal should be made avail
able.
1t is madness to insist at this time
that the general government should re-
main with its arms folded. Nothing has
been done. The conference which has
had such a lamentable ending was call
ed by the individual, not by the ex-
ecutive The executive Of the nation
cannot avoid the awful responsible
ties which the country regard as hav-
ing been placed on him and his asso-
ciate officials Of the national govern
ment. The only one direction in which
perfectly normal and legal action can
be looked for at this time to meet the
emergency is the one of facilitating in
every conceivable way the importation
Of foreign coal.
Congress should be called into extra
session at once, and the peoples repre-
sentatives given an opportunity to take
whatever action seems to them proper.
The corrupt political and Industrial OIL
garchy which holds the people Of Penn
sylvania and indeed the entire country
by the throat at this moment cannot be
looked to for any relief.