Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-09-05
CALAMITY SUITS THEM.
Democrats Have Nothing to Hope For
Unless 1t Be Financial
Disaster.

There is an intimation that the strike
of the anthracite miners is to be renewed
in 1904, so as to affect the presidential
canvass. A strike, it is said, was con-
templated for this year, but it has been
put off for II months. Of course, the
possibility of big labor disturbance
next year is something which will give
comfort to The democratic politicians.
1t may be presumed, indeed, that those
personages will use their influence to
stave off to 1904 all labor conflicts which
have any chance to come in the present
year, or which are threatening. Moth
ing in the general business Or political
situation as it now exists has the slight
est promise Of success for the demo-
Gratis, says the ST. Louis Globe-Dem0-
crat. So far as any democratic poll
tician can see at this time, President
Roosevelt's majority in 1904 will be at
least as large as President McKinley's
was in 1900
labor disturbance on a large scale,
however, would change the situation, as
the democrats believe It was the Home
cans in that year, and defeated Harri-
son for reelection. Other cause.-the
belief that prosperity was fixed anyhow
and that democratic success could not
affect it, and the desire which many peo-
pie always have for a change of some
sort-had some influence on the cam
paign, but democrats as well as republi-
hot 1oL
conflict had much to do with Cieveland's
election in that year. The strike began
In the summer, just after the national
conventions had been held, and it lasted
for over four months The Pennsylvania
militia were called out, the leaders Of the
strikers were arrested on a charge Of
treason against the state and the whole
country was excited. The strike was at
length called off, but not till long after
it had been lost. 1t was not till Novem-
Der 20 that the affair ended, and that was
two weeks after the election had taken
place. The republican plurality in Penn
sylvania in that year was reduced to
$1,000, largely on account Of the labor
troubles. Cleveland carried the repub-
lican states of Illinois and Wisconsin,
and cut Harrison's lead in Ohio almost
to the vanishing point.
Manifestly, if the democratic bosses
can bring on an anthracite strike in 1904
they will be encouraged to make an act
i've canvass. But let them not assume
that even if there should be a strike they
would win the election. The anthracite
strike in 1902 was the most serious labor
conflict which has occurred in the United
States in many years, but it did not have
the political effect which the democrats
hoped and which some republicans
feared. The republicans carried congress
In that year by large majority. Presi-
dent Roosevelt showed himself to be
such friend to both sides in the conflict
that his plan of truce and arbitration
was adopted. A settlement was rea ched
whereby work was resumed, and though
the prices of coal were sent up to the
highest figure touched in many years, the
republican party was not perceptibly in
jured The president, indeed, by his ar
bitration scheme, made new friends
among the miners as we'll as among the
people in general which stand chance
to help the party in 1904 AS the demo-
Gratis interest in bringing labor con-.
f1ict next year is known, the republican
chieftains may be relied on to use their
influence, for the sake of the country as
we'll as that of the party, to avertit The
calamity which the democrats desire for
partisan purposes stands an excellent
chance to be headed off,