The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-28
DELEGATION LEFT
 FOR WILMINGTON
VIII Urge Judge Gray to Ac-
 Cept Arbltratorship
WAGE SCALE CONTROVERSY
Public Greatly nterested-Manufaetur- CTS Suggest That State Influence Should Have Been Brought
 to Bear on Judge Gray.

The four local arbitrators, who have been chosen to net h the wage scale and contract controversy now existing be- tween the operators and miners left at 6:1O yesterday morning over the South ern railway on their way to Wilmington Delaware. where they go to see the Hon. George Gray. United States judge of the third judicial district and induce him if 1 possible to accept the position of fifth man on the arbitration commission.
 The party. which consists of Charles McCrery, yice-president of the Tennes- see Coal. Iron and Railroad company; Robert H. Pearson. vice-president of the Central Coal company; William R. Fair ley and Edward Flynn, of the United Mine Workers, are scheduled to reach Wilmington at about g o'clock this morn ing, and they will undoubtedly get their answer from Judge Gray before night. They will make a strong plea. Hopes are entertained here that the judges re- ply will be favorable, and that President Flynn. of the miners, will be able to tele- graph to his representatives in this dis trict telling the miners to go to work. l. A prominent iron manufacturer in speaking of the present situation, and particularly the errand of the delegation to see Judge Gray, said yesterday: T am surprised at the attitude taken by both sides, and particularly by some of the operators in this matter. They seem to look upon it as a private quarrel in | Int ofI I1af. than that of spectator.
 The Public.
 Now as a matter of fact the parties directly interested-that Is the operators and miners-have less at stake than the public at large. Every branch of bus mess from the peanut vendors to the great railroad corporations is vitally in- terested in the outcome of this difficulty, and they have a right to know what Is going on. The people are the great final judges, and it is through their approval or disapproval that the terms of final judgment will stand or fall. Whoever on either side, makes a mistake or will fully does a wrong act must answer at the bar of public opinion. And there IS
 
 always enforced.
 Certain corporations and bodies of men get so powerful at times in the communi- ties in which they operate that they think for time that they are of supreme im- portance, but that is a mistake that time always rectifes. There Is only one thing in this country that is really great, and that is public opinion. No man nor body of men can stand long against public con- demnation.
 The Appeal to Judge Gray.
 Now, it seems to me that one great mistake has been made in this matter of the appeal to Judge Gray. What should have been done If both sides really want ed him. was to make a great public dem onstration Every man of prominence in the state, or at least in this part of the state, should have been asked to use his influence in order to get Judge Gray to accept It should have been brought home to him that 1t was a matter vitally affect ing the welfare of the state. and was not restricted to the settlement of squabble over a wage scale merely between the op- orators and miners in this district. He should have been made to realize that the results of this difference are far-reach- ing, and that. to certain degree, the in- terests of the whole south are involved in this matter. Then he would not have allowed any but the gravest reasons to interfere with his acceptance of the trust sought to be imposed upon him.
 While I have the greatest possible confidence in the gentlemen who have gone to see Judge Gray, I cannot help but feel that the handling of the matter has lacked the breadth necessary to im- press him with It's importance to the com munity. I am sure that greater scope of expression of opinion would have had decided weight in the decision which Judge Gray will make on Tuesday,"