Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-08-29
NOW ARBIrRATE.

Troops and strikers clash" That Is
a discouraging message from the strike
region. II indicates that the breach IS
growing wider instead Of narrower
Riots render a satisfactory settlement
more difficult OF accomplishment II
may be perfectly true that the miners
are very much provoked, and that
there are extenuating circumstances,
but VIII the general public consider
these? Would II be safe to excuse law
breaking under any circumstances?
The proposition Of the operators is
one OF defiance. They viii not submit
to arbitration. They are said to be
prepared to reopen the mines as soon
as the miners are willing to resume
work on the old terms, but they insist
that the public is not concerned In
the matter. They hold that they can
do as they please with their own
property. They can work their mines
or close them. at their own discretion.
There is nothing to arbitrate.
This, at first sight, appears to be good
logic. II was n correct statement Of
fact before the policy OF combining
Industries had developed as II is now
The combinations have made an essen
tlal change In the prevailing conditions.
Formerly It made no particular differ
ence to the public whether a mine on
two, store or two factory or two.
closed on account OF quarrel with the
few employees there at work. For
such strikes did not materially
affect the general market But when
a few "Napoleons OF finance manage
TO get control, practically Of an entire
Industry on which the public Is de-
pendent. Il is the business of the pub
lie to find out how the power thus ac-
cumulated in few hands Is being used.
II the aforesaid "Napoleons' think |
they can assume all the power without
any responsibility for the way in which
II is applied they are mistaken.
The miners who try to force their
claims through and for that purpose
are employing various violent means.
are doing themselves great harm An
archy must be put down. But they are
right IN asking for arbitration. and the
operators are wrong in refusing to ar
bitrate. They are morally wrong even
IL there Is no law by which they can be
compelled to submit the dispute to ar
bitratlon,
In the meantime, the public would do
well 10 look about for means Of escape
from the tyranny OF the combination
that controls the anthracite coal min
ing. The following suggestions from
the Boston Advertiser are timely in
this connection:
There Is plenty Of reason to believe
that the managers of the coal trust ex-
pect TO make more than enough money
out of the higher prices for their pro-
duet to compensate them for the tenn
pOrary suspension OF trade But II peo-
hAN bNNNahN oNNhSA'it'1f III consequence
Of the high prices OF anthracite coal. TO
use petroleum for heating their houses.
to practice economies by which much
less anthracite will be needed when
they do use It, TO get along without the
oyerheatlng which Injuries health while
II costs money, TO burn coke, to burn
coal In such way that Il
viii consume Its own smoke, to use for
fuel the briquets which are constantly
burned In Germany, TO protect their
houses more generally than at present
by storm windows and storm doors. to
make greater Use Of cord wood, 10 dis
place coal ranges with gas ranges. 10
,ook by electricity-lf people learn TO do
al these things because the mine own.
ers insist that there is nothing TO arbI.
Irate, those gentlemen may discover.
when too late, that arbitration would
have been better than procrastlnation.o