The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-14
MR.. OLNEY'S INDICTMENT OF
THE COAL OPERATORS AS
LAW BREAKERS.

There is no man in America whose
ard Olney, When Mr.. Cleveland called
him into the cabinet he was little known
outside of New England and known
there only as a learned and successful
lawyer. His first public speech that at
tracted national attention was his eulogy
of the late Justice L. @. c. Lamar. 1t
was model of its kind, appreciative and
just without trace OF fulsomeness. It's
English was perfect-not a word could
have been taken from a sentence without
making it bleed.
He came into CIeveland's cabinet fresh
from a practice in which he chiefly rep
resented great corporations His bias
was apparent and it took him some time
to grow from the lawyer with client to
a statesman looking out for the interests
of his country. It was as Secretary of
State that he made his great reputation.
His ability there had the outlet needed
and his state paper win rank with those
of Jefferson, Madison and Polk. His
vigorous Americanism as shown in the
Venezuelan correspondence with Great
Britain won the admiration of the whole
country.
On Saturday night, at the Democratic
club in Boston, Mr.. Olney made great
speech, the gist of which with extracts
was published in Sundays News and OBJ
server. He did not deal with dead ques-
tions, but discussed the coal strike, the
question that interests every man in
America, for it touches his pocketbook.
Mr.. OIney showed that under the regime
of the Republican party and through
the national government, forty years OF
partnership with the protected indus
tries. we have come to pass where
public officials as we'll as private citi-
Zens deem themselves above the law"
lie illustrated this by showing the con-
tempt of the coal operators who not only
regularly violate the law, but who
snapped their fingers in the face of the
President, who %was trying to settle the
strike. and Virtually charged upon him
the responsibility of the lawlessness
which they said had brought about the
coal famine. Here is Mr.. Olney's in
dictment of the coal operators:
For years they have defied the law
of Pennsylvania which forbids common
yaiO
they have Disseminated between cuStoI
mers in the freight charges on their rail-
roads in violation of the inter- State
commerce law. For years they have un-
lawfully nonopolized Interstate COM
merce in violation of the Sherman anti
trust act. Indeed. the very best excuse
and explanation of their astonishing at
titude 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 i'm
tnune from either punishment or re-
proach.
These are the words of a great lawyer,
long chief counsel of one of the great
railroads in New England, a man who
has such regard for his legal reputation
that he weighs his words when he speci-
fies three specific laws which the opera
tors break. And yet, while calling out
the State troops to preserve order, no
authority, State or National, has taken
steps to punish the operators for violat-
ing these three provisions of law. Why?
Mr.. Olney is equally pointed and
strong when he scores the operators be-
cause they refuse to recognize the labor
unions. Nobody has given clearer ut
terance and given better reason for the
existence and the rights of the labor I'M
ions than Mr.. Olney. We quote:
eft is sometimes urged in extenuation
of the coal operators foolishly offensive
tone at the conference that they were en-
ragged at the recognition of labor unions
and the presence, by invitations OF their