The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-10-02
Throws Gauntlet at the
Feet Of Labor
Leaders.
HIS DECISION Is FINAL
In Miller Case and Fore m an OF
Printshop Re m aims In Cow
ernment EN- mploy--An Of.
ficiai Interview.
ycripps-McRae telegram.

ficial Interview.
ycriprs-McRae Telexram
Washington, d. c., Sept. S0.-Pres-
ident Roosevelt regards his decision in
the Miller case as probably the most
important action of his administration
He fully realizes the bearing it will
have in the next presidential cam
paign, but as he has told number of
his friends and advisors, he is willing
to go before the people on the issue
1t is known that the president reached
his decision without any hesitation
and without consulting any one. AS
he remarked to friend: 1T did not
require a moments thought, so plain
did my duty seem to me-"
The presidents final answer to the
demand of organized labor that Fore.
man Miller of the government print
ing Office be discharged, came at mid.
night, when Roosevelt gave out an in
terview in writing. After a long con,
ference at the white house with mum.
ber of labor leaders, the following
statement was issued to the press by
the chief executive:
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 OConnell and Frank Nor.
rison, at which various subjects Of leg
islation in the interests of labor, as
well as executive action were discussed
Concerning the case of William 4,
Miller, the president made the follow,
ing statement:
MAKES HIMSELF PLAIN.
81 thank you and your committee
for your courtesy and l appreciate the
opportunity to meet with you. 1t will
always be a pleasure to see you OF any
representatives of your organization
or of your federation as a whole.
CAS- regards the Miller case | have
little to add to what | have already
said. In dealing with it | ask you to
remember that | am dealing purely
with the relation Of the government
to its employees. | must govern my
action by the laws OF the land, VIII. .ch
l am sworn to administer, and which
differentiate 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 cannot and
must not be construed as permitting
discrimination against some Of the
people. / am president of all the peo.
pie of the United States, without re
gard to creed, color, birthplace, occu
patton or social condition. My aim is
to do equal and exact justice as among
them all. In the employment and dis
missal of men in the government serv
ice | can no more recognize the fact
that a man does or does not belong "a
a union as being for or against him
than | can recognize the fact that he
is a Protestant or Catholic, Jew
or a Gentle, as being for or againsi
him.
DECISION is FINAL.
"In the communication sent me by
various labor organizations protesting
against the retention of Miller in the
government printing Office, the grounds
alleged are two-foid: That he is a
non-union man; that he Is not person
ally fit The question of his personal
fitness is one to be settled in the rou-
tine of administrative detail and can
not be allowed to conflict with or to
complicate the larger question of gov
ernmental discrimination for or
against him or any other man because
he is or is not member OF union
This is the only question now before
me for decision, and as to this my de-
ais;np 10 6nol