New-York tribune., 1902-10-02
gTLLON THE CoALPRoBLEM
HIS PLANK IN TIE PLATFORM sIAh-
TIES MEN OF ALL PARTIES.
RECKLESS ooMMITTAL TO REVOLUTION
IN THE CHARACTER OF THE fLD-
FRAL GOVERNMENT.
ERAL GOVERNMENT


-,.,.oc-s,ic state Convention for the nauonal-
-, ~ the anthracite coal mines is perhaps
= most radical piece q platform making ever
,-sulrsa IN by one Of the great parties. Be
- /, all other parts of the platform pale into
.sfg,idcsuoe All that the Democrats have 20
~. .bout imperialism and tariff reform and
s,s and cuba and State administration has
-, heard before. The phenomenally long and
,,,s,llv worded platform brought no surprise
,,,osrrng any 90 these things What II SAID
sboyt coal was unexpected and startling almost
as much 90 Democrats as to anybody else
Tsws Nixon. Immediately after the convention
adjourned. fatty expressed his dissent from
rbe policy Of condemning the coal mines and
puttlng them under the management Il the ma
tonal government. Business men like J. Ed
ward Simmons shut their mouths tight and re-
fused 10 commend il. Conservative Democrats
who are seeking 10 return 10 their party IN the
belief thar t has abandoned its soCialistic here
sizes must be impeIed 10 pause I'm face ~ recll-
less committaI 10 complete revolution in The
character 4 the federal government. which
goes much further in its radicalism Than the
money doctrines Of Mr.. Bryan.
What does government condemnation Of the
coalnelds mean? The invasion Of the common
wealth OF Pennsylvania by the United States
and the assumption Of the private business Of
citizens OF that state. not by their state gov
eminent. but by the national government. such
an usurpation was never seriously proposed eX-
oept by Socialists. II Is imperialism. Its inev-
itable result is consolidated empire. Govern
rlert control az public utilities commonly means
municipal. or az least state, control
The Democratic convention NJ Saratoga stands
for the viping out of cirv and STATE and the
concentration in Washington of power over pro
duction. consumption labor and prices. A.
present the United States can acquire no foot
~ ground within the confines Of a State without
consent OF The state authorities. As 90 per cent
Of the anthracite ooalhelds are in Pennsylvania,
rhe New-York Democratic Platforms policy
could not he carried OUT without the consent Of
Pennsylvania Nobody for an instant sUpposes
that this would he given Is M Rims declara-
tion merely piece Of buncombe 10 catch igno-
rant voters, who may be maddened by want Of
coal and ready % vote for something revOlu-
tionarv. does he seriously mean 10 commit
the Democracy Of the Empire state 10 this ma
tionalizing programme II The latter. he must
undertake The long labor of amending the fed
eral constitution or he prepared for the shorter
course ~ overriding state rights by rhe force Of
the passions ne is striving 10 set loose.
The Democracy is by tradition the party ~
State rights. It's maxim has been that the best
government was the one which governed least
Now i Is 70 be best when il governs most IN
lie coalfelds To-day the Democratic conven-
zion renewed its allegiance 10 'the tin1e-honored
principles Of Thomas jefferson" Imagine the
Sage OF Monticello reading a Democratic plat
form urging the United States Government 10
sweep aside the state OF Pennsylvania, and say
ing that hundreds Of square miles Of its terri
tory should no longer be governed by its laws
or he subject 10 its riEht Of eminent domain, but
should be federal territory and the nucleus Of
-s.-a- ...FHfH ..rr71
take his orders from the government and live on
IT'S wages, Alexander Hamilton, in his most eN-
IRENE measures To make individual citizens feel
the power OF the federal government, never pro
posed anything like that.
The platform declares only for ownership and
operation of The mines. but that is only a begin
rng II the federal government must mine the
coal 20 save the people from failure Of The sup
ply u must distribute 81 also. II the people
must have cheap coal they must be protected
from railroad rates which might neutralize al
the advantage OF government sales al or below
cost in The coal regions Most % the anthracite
coal is consumed here in The East, but If New
York people must have their coal supply under
government guarantee. Why should not ST Louis
and san Francisco people demand their share of
the PeDnsy iyauia prod1ct, since II Is 10 ne
mined by the general government for the com
mon beaeate Down South they DO NOT burn
much coal Government buyers would more
popularity take The form Of federal production
and cheap sale 81 hog and homny. II the chi
oaso packers and corn shippers should he inter
;srea with boy rnobs the CRY Cor government as
sumption of their business. which private per
sons were prevented by violence from con-
Quoting, would be equally reasonable
How would the government conduct the coal
business? Doubtless il would pay good wages
u Il did NOT IL would he subject 10 strikes. Just
as the private companies are, and il is safe 10
say thar il would not resist unreasonable de-
mands More than ever, crowd Of agitators
would have The coal business at their mercy
and II they did not nov and then cut on the
supply Il would he because they could get the
ear o. politicians without a.. This danger or
sutlectlug business 10 the control of politics ana
oe'aagogy is inherent TO greater OF less de-
gree IN an forms Of state industrial enterprise
[" IS especially great when on one side Is
boNeInment ot men seeking votes and on t"e
other labor organization with powerful az
hlstions and extended ramif, ,ations.
me shortage Of coal oilers a tremendous
Nmpiauon 10 the demagogue. and Mr.. HIN has
S'eioea TO H. He might have been expected 10
ulse regulation of production, recognition OF The
uOo'F'ne of beneficial use which would force
o~heFs TO mine or forfeit their titles. Instead,
.oNeNe' Of making moderate declaration. ne
sven iree rein 10 the agencies in the Demo
party which have long been preaching
o-11oh Some of Them just fell short Of
t'''Is'Ns assassination. and have been steadily
"-'''ei' ~ class hatred and the critics of
e''sIi'ihent measures. whether ludlclal OF
-''Ee' 10 enforce order in the coal regions
40 mem Mr. Hin has surrendered the party
"I1h lIetends 10 stand for the constitution, the
-Vusiai system and primitive democracy.
~ Is a desperate bid FOR votes. II took even