The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1903-10-02
HIS DECISION FINAL.
Nom UniOniSm Will Not Debar
Foreman Miller.
The Question of Mr.. MiIIer's Personal
Fitness Must Be Settled in the
Regular Routine Of Ad-
ministration.

Washington, Sept. 30.-Samuel Com
pers, president of the American Fed
grafton of Labor; Mr.. Mitchell, the
head of the United Mine Workers or
ganization, and four or five other men,
oers of the executive council of the
American Federation of Labor, were
in conference with the president for a
long time Tuesday night with refer
ence to the cases of Foreman Miller,
Of the bookbindery of the government
printing Office, whose discharge is
sought by the labor leaders.
The conference broke up about 1870
o'clock and shortly thereafter the fol-
towing 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 Tuesday evening
10 the following members Of the eXecu-
tive council of that body:
''Mr Samuel GOmpers, Mr.. James
Duncan, Mr.. John Mitchell, Mr.. James
O'Connell and Mr. Frank Morrison, at
which various subjects of legislation
n the interests of labor as well as ex-
ecutive action were discussed. Con-
,erning the case of William A. Miller,
the president made the following state
ment: l thank you and your commit
tee for your courtesy, and | appreciate
The opportunity to meet with you. 1t
will always be pleasure to see you
IT any representatives of your organi-
Aations or of your federation as a
whole.
LAS regards the Miller case, l have
title to add to what l have already
said In dealing with it / ask you to
emember that | am dealing purely
With the relation of the government to
is employees. I must govern my &C
ion by the laws of the let1d which l
I'M sworn to administer, and which
lifferentiate any case in which the
government Of the United States is a
party from all other cases whatsoever.
These laws are enacted for the benefit
IF the whole people, and can not and
must not be construed as permitting
discrimination against some OF the
people. | am president of all the peo-
ole of the United States without re-
gard to creed, color, birthplace, occu-
patton or social conditions. My aim is
o do equal and exact justice as among
hem ALL In the employment and dis
nissal of men i'll the government serv-
'ce | can no more recognize the fact
hat man does or does NC belong tc
+. union as being for or against him
han can recognize the fact that he
S a Protestant or q Catholic, Jew
lr Gentle, as being for or against
him.
'In the communications sent me by
various labor organizations protest
ing against the retention of Miller in
he government printing office, the
grounds alleged are twofold: /. That
lie is a non-union man. 2. That he is
aot personally fit. The question of his
personal fitness is one to be settled in
he routine of administrative detail,
md can not be allowed to conflict with
IT to complicate. the larger question
If governmental discrimination for or
against him or any other man because
he is not a member of a union. This
s the only question now before me
for decision; and as to this my decis'
ion is final"