Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-10-07
THE PRESIDENT
STANDS PAT
Labor Leaders Entertained by Pres.
dent Roosevelt in Washington.
But Fail in Their Mission.
THE FAMOUS MILLER CASE
Says He is President of All the People
And Can Not Discriminate for
Sect or Society.

Washington, Sept. 29.-Samuel
Gompers, president OF the American
Federation OF Labor. Mr.. Mitchell.
head of the United Mine Workers
organization and four or five other
members of the executive council Of
the American Federation OF Labor.
were in conference with President
Roosevelt for long time tonight with
reference to the case OF Foreman Mil.
Ter. OF the book bindery of the govern.
ment printing Office. whose discharge
is sought by the labor leaders. Tho
president informed the labor leaders
his decision not 10 discharge Miller
because he was nOn.uniOn man. was
final and that the question OF his per
sonal fitness must be settled in the
regular routine of administration.
The conference broke up about II:
80 O'Clock and shortly thereafter the
following statement was given to the
press at the white house:
Pursuant to the request of Samuel
Gompers, president OF the American
Federation OF Labor, the president
granted an interview this evening to
the following members of the execu.
tive council OF that body. Samuel
Gompers, James Duncan, John Mitch
ell, James O'Connell ana Frank Morri
son. at which various subjects of leg.
islatiOn in the interests of labor. as
well as executive action were discuss.
ed. Concerning the ease of William
A. Miller. the president made the fol
lowing statement:
:" Il thank you and your committee
for your courtesy, and | appreciate
the opportunity TO meet with you. II
will always be pleasure to see you
or any representatives of your organ
izations or OF your federation as
whole. AS regards the Miller case,
have little To add 10 what have al.
ready said. In dealing with IT, ! ask
you to remember that | am dealing
purely with the relation OF the govern
ment to its employees. | must govern
my action by the laws of the land,
which | am sworn To administer and
which is differential in any case in
which the government OF the United
States is party from all other cases
whatsoever. These laws are enacted
for the benefit of the whole people
and can not and must not be constru-
ed as permitting discrimination
against some of the people. | am the
president OF all the people of the
United States. without regard TO
creed. color. birthplace, occupation or
social conditions. My aim is to do
equal and exact justice as among
them all. In the employment and dis.
missal OF men in the government SER
vice, ! can no more recognize the fact
that a man does or does not belong to
union as being for or against him
than ! can recognize the fact that he
Is a protestant or Catholic. Jew or
Gentle. as being for or against him.
In the communications sent me by
various labor organizations protest
ing against the retention of Miller In
the government printing Office. the
grounds alleged are twofold. First.
that he is non-union second, that he
is not personally fit The question of
his personal fitness Is one to be set
tied in the routine of the administra-
tion detail. and can not be allowed to
conflict with or to complicate the larg.
er question Of governmental discrimi-
nation for or against him or any other
man. because he is or is not a mem
ber OF a union. This is the only ques-
tion before me now for decision. and
as 10 this. my decision is final"