Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1903-07-31
THE WASHINGTON LETTER.


minister the affairs of the govern
ment with absolute justice, regard
less of his own political fortunes,
but they have received it in the
courageous position assumed by the
president with regard to the EN-
ployment of union labor in
the various departments Of the
government. The case of William
Miller, an assistant foreman of the
government printing office, called
forth from the president the enunci-
alton Of a policy which for fifty
years no president has dared pro-
claim. This policy is TO the effect
that no discrimination shall be made
between union and non-union labor
in the employ of the government.
Mr.. Roosevelt cites the decision of
the Anthracite Coal Strike Commits
sion in support Of his decision, the
commission having decided that
men in the coal mines must not be
Disseminated against because they
were not members of-a union.
Miller was dismissed by the Public
printer because he had been expelled
from the Bookbinder's Union. Mil
ler's crime was an attempt to save
money for the government by in
sisting on the performance Of more
work than the union permitted his
subordinates to do. 1t must be
understood that the Bookbinder's
Union in Washington prescribed a
limit to the amount of work which
each man shall perform in a day.
Finally, when Miller refused to yield
to the dictation of the union, he was
expelled from it's membership and
Immediately discharged by the
Public Printer for that reason, a
proceeding which Mr.. Roosevelt
characterizes as lacking in "elemen.
tary decency The president
promptly ordered Miller reinstated,
This has been done. The book
binders have now filed charges with
the Public Printer which they be-
lieve will prove ample to war
warrant Miller's discharge but they
have also issued a statement to the
effect that they cannot work in the
Office with Miller but will be com.
PEELED to strike if he is retained in
his present position. The unfortu-
nate part of the situation is that
the constitution of the union con-
fiicts with the laws of the United
States so that if the Public Printer
should not find sufficient ground for
discharging Miller he could not, ac-
cording to law, dismiss him and the
binders, according to the laws of
their union. could not remain. If,
again, the binders were to strike,
they would be conspiring against
the government and could never be
reinstated without a change of the
United States statutes by congress.
What the outcome of this peculiar
situation will be is impossible to pre-
dict. In several similar instances
previous presidents have lodged
the issue and now that President
Roosevelt has met it squarely there
are many who believe it will not
cost him the sensible labor vote of
the country. The government is
still a little bigger than any union,
whether of capital, or of labor, and
sensible capitalists and laborers will
see that it stays bigger.
Reports from Oyster Bay are to
the effect that Speaker be Cannon
has agreed not to oppose the consid-
Grafton Of financial legislation which
will be represented at the next ses-
sion Of congress. Mr.. Cannon was
summoned to Oyster Bay by the
president to confer on this subject
which the president regards as Of
grave Importance. Some sceptical
persons maintain that Mr. Cannon
has not yet made any promise which
amounts to anything for the reason
that it is never necessary for the
speaker to oppose legislation as no
legislation can receive consideration
unless he actuatiy- favors it. It is
generally believed, however, that
some measure viii be devised which
win remedy existing defects in the
financial system and which viii, at
tho same time, meet with approval
Of the republican leaders IN both
houses Of congress. The device
which appears to be most IN favor
is a law authorizing all national
banks 20 issue notes to the extent Of
25 per cent on their capital stock
subject to a tax Of s per cent pei
annum. tt is maintained that sucI
notes would be issued only in time
of emergency and would Be prompt
~ retired when tho emergency wal
passed because the tax would rendei
their maintenance in circulation un
profitable. once the emergency has