Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1912-11-08

ouu SOHe COIl6Ueral features and some
comment
Randolph Mason's face took on an
expression Of unwilling assent, such
an expression as one observes fire.
quently on the face of an examiner in
the courtroom, who, failing to bring
MS witness clearly to the issue, aban-
dons him to his own manner of recital.
he sat down in his chair, placed his
hands idly before him on the table
and then dropped his body leisurely
back, like one hopelessly fated to a
long story. These suggestive actions
We're not lost on the attorney; he
knew exactly by what mental concep-
tlons they were inspired. A faint
shade of color came for an instant in
to his face and vanished, but his voice
deliberately continued:
The Consolidated Fuel Railroads
Company. of which John A. Garnett is
president and chief owner, is made up
OF the principal lines running into the
Pennsylvania coal fields. They reach
some five thousand workings, employ
Ing several hundred thousand men.
they are the avenues by which this
product is conveyed to the seaboard.
This railroad company depends for its
tonnage, and therefore for its exist
ence, exclusively upon the production
OF these mines. If these mines are
Idle the railroad is idle, but with the
distinction that a mine can shut down
and lie so without expense, while a
railroad must continue as an active
concern, no matter at what loss.
Now, as you are doubtless aware, an
effort is being made to form an ALI
ance OF these mine workers. The result
is that an epic life struggle is about to
open between the railroad and it's
mines on one side and the represen-
tatives Of the workers on the other, the
sort Of Industrial conflict that means
bankruptcy for the one and starvation
for the other. The men have not
money enough to keep their families
for month, and the railroad COM
pany, having no tonnage, will neces-
sarily make default in the payment OF
the interest on it's bonds, and go into
the hands Of receiver
The attorney paused. His serene
face lifted into a beautiful profile
Then he continued:
"The only real authority of this Re-
public is the federal courts. They
alone, under every emergency. rigidly
sustain the law. But court must
hqu0 riff ~
writ must be supported by the hand
serving writ. An order, no matter
how fearlessly entered, must fail of
its purpose if it be enforced with ex-
cuses. l come now to the very heart
of this matter. People do not break
out into rebellion unless they have
an ally sitting somewhere in author
ity This strike threatened in Penn
sylvania has such an ally. 1t would
fail, it would collapse like punctured
balloon, if his aid were removed. I
do not mean any of the judges; they
are incorruptible. l mean Thomas B.
Wood, the United States marshal.
"a word must be spoken about this
remarkable man to make that charge
clear: He is thirty years old;
he intends to be a United States SEN
ator, and, what is more important for
the future, he intends to remain one.
Bear in mind that Woods inten-
ton was to become senator He be-
gan, then, with the people. He at
tached himself to all movements in be-
half Ct labor. He observed the clamor
of the man with the pick, the man
with the apron, the man with the
hammer. He appeared to listen, to
consider, presently to be convinced,
and, finally, to advocate what they
said. Then, under that law which I
do not understand but by virtue of
which Mirabeau, a noble, became the
idol of the French Revolution, this
man., an aristocrat, became a leader
of the people So when his party
came presently to national power, the
great heads of it found him there to
be dealt with. What did he want?
They said it with certain Difference
He might have demanded his seat in
the upper congress then, but he could
not hope to remain there, he had no
pedestal of gold under him; he was
standing on the sands. He chose the
position of United States marshal.
The leaders gave it with a certain
wondering contempt, and dismissed
him from their catalogue of fears He
was, then, person of no ambition
one struggling financially for pottage!
UNNECESSARILY not so! The politi-
cal Warwick of Pennsylvania is John
A. Garrett. The power under him is
the Consolidated Fuel Railroads
Wood wished to direct that Warwick,
to control that power, therefore he
chose wisely the only position in
which he could destroy him, that of
United States marshal. Garrett, usu-
ally clear-headed, usually far-sighted,
usually running swiftly before events,
saw the thing forty-eight hours too
late, and, consequently, he is ruined"
with Wood standing now between |
the worker and judges, the greatest |
industrial contest in our history is be-
ginning. The mines of Pennsylvania |