Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-09-29
COAL STRIKE OF 1902.
The Dem oeratic Attack On Roosevelt
Because of His Actier-

Inc Dem ocrafic Attack On 4ooseHe1f
Because of His Action.
Eagerly searching for grounds upon
v hch to base their charge tb1t Presi-
dent RDoseyeit has encroache1 upon the
limits Of his duties as set Dy the Con
SttutiOn. the infantile Constitution
Club Of New York City, has pitched
upon the settlement Of the coal strike,
in the fall Of 1907. as an instance of
''nsHrpation Of authority"
Nothing could have been more for
tnnate for Mr.. Roosevelt than the revival
thus instituted among the people of the
United States of the memory Of the sore
straits in which the whole people stood
two years ago in the shadow OF APP
proach..lS winter. and with the supply of
coal shut off by an apparently irrecOn-
cilable confiicl between the eoal-mine
Operators and their employees. aud of the
means by which the unbearable sifna-
ton was brought to an end For ia our
time events move 50 rapidly that the
perils, the anxieties and disorders of two
years ago are as ancient history Yet,
where the public mind is brought back
To the trial and stress of the coal strike
period Of 1902, there is no lack of crate
fui remembrance of the humane. tact
ful AID courageous action of President
Roosevelt in settling the strike
Gratitude is expensive" remarked a
cynical historian of the Eighteenth Cen
tnry. That the leaders of the Democratic
party find it SO expensive as to be pro-
hibatory for them is certain. 1t was
the wives and children OF Democrats,
a. well as Republicans, who were saved
hn 81. II
the winter Of 1902-1gO3. There are hun
dreds Of thousands of Democrats who
VIII remember that, aud who do not find
gratitude expensive" The miners of
pennsylvania, who received the boon
of the hardest labor-and they craved it
through the efforts of President = ,ase-
Welt and his commissioners, rene .nber.
and there is not a remote chance that
they. nor many thousands OF other citi-
zcns all over the country, will consider
gratitude too expensive for them to in
dulge in, and in "A practical manner, at
the polls next November.
n recent writer upon the Presidents
action to relieve the distress occasioned
by the coal strike gives the following
account of the initiation, by Mr.. Roose-
welt, Of his efforts in behalf of the peo-
pie AMI tie coultry:
I'm October, 1902. when the anthracite
strike was well under way, and there was
apprehension that II would he ma attained
uhtli the heavy frosts came and perhaps
long after, President Roosevelt received
many appeals from all parts Of the country
tiIat hc oner his good offices as an iniivid.
TAI to quiet this trouble. These appeals
came daily, and were of such impressive
wording, some plaiutive, almost piteous
pNpFpSSiny the Sariouc ,han
Of the people, TINT the President felt he
couJd moi he unmindful Of them. He there
fore summoned TO conference in Wash
neton all Of the operators whose mines
were involved and stated to them Mt the
beginning of this conference that he wished
them July to understand that he had no
authority IN law or precedent for any ac-
tlon IN the way of counsel or urgent appeal
he might make. Personally, the President
knew that the task he was undertaking In
volved no little political risk. He foresaw
much Of the conservative opinion Of the
country world seriously question the wis
dom, propriety or lawluness of the step,
yet II seemed TIA him that he might say
both to the operators aud to the labor lead
so that the contest which so seriously
threatened the welfare and peace of the
whole country might be brought to an
end"
With little encouragement from the
quidnuncs President Roosevelt took upon
himself, as an individual, the difficult
task of healing Il wouud which seemed
hopeless in its ugly depth and envenom-
ed irritation. The result is known TO
the world. The nation hailed the set
Element of the strike with joy. Theodore
Roosevelt had done the first duty of
the first citizen of a republic. and with
out any remote fraction of a violation
of the constitutional duties or rights of
any other official or body of officials, of
Congress, or any judicial tribunal.
Those who call this action an infringe
ment upon the United States Constitu
ton reveal condition of puerile men
tality which is fairly ridiculous. 1t is
m attack of the kind which furnishes
arms to the opposition.
The supporters of President Roosevelt
welcome the coal strike "reminiscences.
The Constitutional Club must be a col
lection of owl-like creatures who can
not see by daylight. May their tribe
increase among the Democratic forces.
They are helpful to the Republicans
So long as they remain on the other
side of the political fence.