The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-02
THE MAYOR OF CHICAGO.
The Condlton' which COnfrtnt Him in the
Teamstert' strike-Duty and Opportunity.

Teamstert' strike-Duty and Opportunity.
To rHE EDITOR or TEE sUN-Sir: Em-
ployers Of striking teamsters who refuse 10
give over the management OF the business
they have built up during twenty or thirty
years 90 about Chicago more or less, but with
full knowledge that they may be picked on
At any moment by expert sharpshooteTs, or
dubbed to death in some quiet corner. The
newspapers reported yesterday that Harry
and William Grady, Chicago coal dealers,
we're shot near their residences early sunday
morning, and that on the same day five
hundred men and boys. headed by striking
teamsters, attacked the main stable Of the
Employers leaning Company, and STAN
peded tho horses kept there. About a thou
sand extra policemen are now supposed to
be on duty in the terrorized district, "and
union labor does not want the State militia
or the Regular troops sent here for service
during the strike" In order to avert the
trampllng down Of liberty which would be
implied by the presence Of troops. state or
Federal, the Chicago Federation Of Labor
is going 20 invite President Roosevelt TO join
with Governor Deneen Of Illinois and Mayor
Dunno OF Chicago in efforts to bring the
teRmsters' strlkeIo a peaceable end.
Al falrmindedVmen will see At once the In
tolerAble conditions under which the strikers
are suffering. In the first place accord
ing to general understanding. the employers
brou aht all this trouble down upon their own
heads. The teamstera merely changed their
minds; that was all. They had made GER
tain DEFINITE agreements 10 do certain thin 80
in consideration OF certain moneyed pay
ments TO them. In ordinary business rela-
tions the violation OF such agreements would
be termed q breach OF contract; but IN this
case II lie not rieht 10 use such harsh and I'M
feeling expressions. Labor, as such. is very
tenderh hearted and delicate, and il erieves
easily. no a breach Of contract, otherwise
dishonest, stultlfying. dsgraceful. Is simply
a change Of mind In the case Of the union
man.
For some unRccountable reason the cruel
employers said to the teamsters: You have
got 20 keep your agreement, or We will give
your Jobs 20 other men" IMAGINE Il. Try 10
conceive Of the an guish, the grief. the amaze
ment caused by this wicked, devilish declara-
ton BY the employers, What else could the
sorrowing tean,sters do but rejon: Go
ahead Pire other men, and we'll cripple
them a. fast as they show their faces on the
streets And as for you, You conscienceless
ogrSs we'll have true boys with trusty
guns sneakcd into your back yards before
daylight some fine morning and bore holes
through your lungs" Whether these reso-
buttons were ever made sudibly 10 not known
but that they have been carried out is literal
fact.
sters void OF the bowels Of compassion Lis
ten % their outrageous demands:
All they ask is that they be protected In the trans
action OF ordinary business In their stores and
through the streets They were through. they
said with the men who violated a plain contract
and struck without the slightest complaint regard
Ing wages, hours OF work or conditions OF labor.
such Ia the situation. and I'll being watched
with Interest in many quarters. It ia asitua-
ton unfortunate for every human being in
Chicago. save, perhaps one; and he is Mayor
Dunno, who stands to-day at the parting Of
the ways II he permits the assaults. STAN
pedes and incipient riots 10 continue, he may
put behind him now and forever all hope Of
career IN statesmanship. He may yet be
borne on the crest Of the labor vote 20 some
temporarily conspicuous political job; but
he will never be widely known and honored,
nor will he be remembered by future genera
tions. II, on the other hand. Mayor Dunno
ia the man OF the hour. II he has in him that
streak OF iron without which no man can be
great II he really stands for liberty, law and
order, II ne 10 truly an upholder Of American
Is come his hour 20 strike,
and strike hard. one ringing declaration
from him 70 the public, one positive, unmis-
taxable command 10 the superintendent Of
the police and he will emer &c from the Chicago
MayorSlty into figure Of national impor-
lance.
President Roosevelt may be left entirely
out Of the question. He will never again in
terfere In any strike, 90 long as he holds the
Presidential once. The problem that con-
Germs the country generally. and Chicago
particularly, may be summed up in few
words: Il Mayor Dunno the man Of the hour
or Ia he merely another local politician afraid
Of himself? OrEN SHoP.
NEW YoRK May /.