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The Commoner
VOLUME 4, NUMBER 25.
12
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The Overshadowing Issue
In u recent Issuo, tho Now York Sun
'printed an odltorial in which it was
said J
"Tho Colorado dynamite atiocity
puts the real Idbuo beforo tho Ameri
can "people. It is tho first and fore
.'moflt iBstio now and until It is de
termined. Evon tho horror of this
special instance and tho general prin
ciple that crimo must bo punished and
anarchy be put down at any cost in
Colorado or olsewhere are but inci
dental to tho main question. That
main question, that overshadowing is
suo, is free labor, tho right of tho
"Amorlcan citizen in arty department of
lawful' industry to soil his work at
such prico as ho is content to accept
for it, and to bo protected to tho full
est oxtont of tho powers of government
and the sentimont of society in tho un
restricted exorcise of his right."
Commenting upon the New York
Sun's statement, tho Omaha World
Herald printed an editorial that should
bo read by ovory American citizen.
The 'World-Herald said:
Of course, tho Sun is a partisan of
tho mine owners and in its view the
nlnc owners are right;, while the union
niinu workers are wrong; but tho sit
uation, presented by presont-day Colo
rado conditions Is so grave .that it will
bo well for the thoughtful citizen to
seek an unbiased view. This is so not
only because it is at all times desira
ble to seek tho truth, but for tho fur
thor reason that oven though we ac
cept as correct tho partisan statement
of oithor sido to tho Colorado contro
versy, tho American people cannot
adopt the Colorado example, nor can
they afford to neglect tho opportunity
to placo their condemnation upon it.
Every intelligent man must condemn
the "dynamite atrocity' and for the
purpose of placing beforo tho people
tho overshadowing issue not the
"overshadowing issuo" exactly as tho
Sun puts it but tho issuo as all pa
triotic men. should understand it, wo
are indebted to tho Sun for its in
telligent discrimination in saying:
"Even tho horror of this special in
stance and the general principle that
crime must be punished and anarchy
must bo put down at any cost in Colo
rado or elsewhere are but incidental
to tho main question."
Wo are all agreed that the dynamit
ing of the Independence depot was an
outrage. We must all hope that tho
perpetrators of that outrage will bo
speedily brought to justice. Upon
Biich a question thoro can bo no divi
sion among patriotic men. But even
after thus clearing tho atmosphere of
' thought tle Sun Itsolf beclouds tho at
mosphere when It undertakes to say
that "the overshadowing issuo is free
labor." It is true tho American citi
zen has the right to sell his work ,in
any department of lawful industry at
such prices as he is content to accopt
for it. It is also, true that any om-
Heart Disease
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a diseases of the heart and norvos today.
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ployer has tho right to employ whom
soever ho chooses to employ in any
department of lawful industry. And
whether it bo employer or employe, he
is entitled to be -protected in the,un
reskrictod exorcise of his right, to tho
fullest extent of the powers of gov
ernment. It may be added that ex
perience justifies tho opinion that he
will bo protected in those rights as
far as concerns the "sentlment-of so
ciety."
The Now York Sun and those who
follow in its wake pretend to stand
for these principles; but do they really
stand for them?
When the union man in Colorado
protests against the employment of
what he calls "scab labor" the Sun in
sists upon what it calls the rights of
"free labor" and says there' must be
no interference with. it. When a mine
owner in Colorado chooses to employ
non-union labor and insists upon his
right to do so, the Sun rushes to1 his
defense and maintains that all the
powers of government should be' exer
cised to uphold the mine owner in
that right.
But when the owners of the Port
land mine, .preferring to operate their
establishment with union labor, under
took to pursue the even tenor of their
way, tho Colorado authorities called a
halt, shut down the Portland mine and
denied to the owners of that concern
the privilege of employing whomsoever
they choose to employ; and what does
the Now York Sun say about this?
Whore, then, is the great and mighty
principle of "free labor," to which tho
Sun is so thoroughly devoted? In the
opinion of the" Sun and those whom it
leads It was anarchy for union la
borers to protest when some of the
mne owners put to work non-union
men; but when tho Colorado authori
ties closed down the Portland mine be
cause its owners chose to operate, that
mine with union labor, that was not
anarchy; that was patriotism; that
was law and order; that was the ful
fillment of righteousness in. tho "over
shadowing issue!"
In the effort to locate the oversha
dowing issue, not as a partisan would
have It. but as the patriotic citizen
must determine it, let us take a care
ful look at tho situation.
The Colorado strike grows out of
tho persistent campaign waged by the
workingmen of Colorado for an eight
hour day.
In 189D, as a result of this agitation,
the Colorado legislature enacted an
eight-hour law. The smelter trust and
the mine owners objected to the en
forcement of. this law and attacked it
by judicial process-, carrying their
fight to tho supreme court of the state,
where the law was finally held to be
unconstitutional.
The workingmen then began agita
tion for a constitutional amendment
on this lino.
Two years ago a proposed constitu
tional amendment providing for the
eight-hour law, and requiring also that
the legislature enact a statute to carry
tho amendment into effect was sub
mitted to the conventions of tho sev
eral political parties in Colorado. That
proposed amendment was indorsed by
the republican convention, as well as
by tho conventions of. other political
parties; it was submitted to the peo
ple and was adapted by a. majority of
more than 46,000.
When tho legislature met following
the election at which this proposed
amendment had been adopted the
smelter trust and tho mine owners
sent powerful lobbies for the purpose
of pi'evonting any legislation in lino
wiUi tho decree registered by the peo
ple at tho polls.
Tho result was tho legislature ad
journed without passing any law to
malco this constitutional amendment
effective. '
Is it possible that one may under
take to locate the overshadowing issuo
without giving some consideration to
the fact that tho will of tho people of
Colorado, registered in an orderly way
at the polls, was throttled by a great
corporation lobby, and through means
with which corporation lobbies are
familiar?
Is it possible that in the effort to lo
cate the overshadowing issue one must
Keep his eyes fixed upon the things
done and the things alleged to haver
toon Uore by tho poor wretches who,
working irom morning until night for
a bare existence, struggle to improve
their condition to the extent that they
nay cotain an eight-hour day, which
has now come to be fixed as the rea
sonable workday in the minds of
thoughtful men? Is it possible that
these tyes must be closed to tho
things done and the things said to
hate been done by tho Colorado au
thorities who, while pretending to he
er.gageu in upholding law and order,
have become not only partisans to one
side of the controversy, but have be
come oppressors of their opponents?
When we charge that union leaders
have attacked non-union men, shall
we close our eyes to the fact that the
recognized representatives of Colorado
authority have required men elected to
civil offices to surrender their commis
sions, in one instance, at least, by the
threat of hanging, and in many other
instances at the point of thp bayonet?
When we charge that non-union men
have been Intimidated by union labor
ers, shall we close our eyes to the fact
that the representatives of Colorado
authority have driven merchants from
business, have forced property owners
and reputable citizens having no af
filiation with the union to leave their
homes, all because these people had,
confessed, in the presence of military
authority, that In the contest between
employer and employe their sympa
thies were with the latter?
When we charge that the union la
borers have violated the law in every
conceivable way, shall we close our
eyes to the fact that the representa
tives of Colorado authority have de
ported men by th.e hundreds, leaving
them outcast upon the bleak prairies
without food or water? -.
When we charge that the union la
borers have not proceeded to obtain
their rights in an orderly way, shall
we close our eyes to the fact that the
representatives of Colorado authority
have carried on their proceedings in a
disorderly way?
Po not these reflections tend to
bring us to a better understanding of
wliat the overshadowing Issue really
is?
Mr. McClelland, judge advocate of
the Colorado militia, stated the over
shadowing issue much better than the
New York Sun does when he said:
"To hell- with the constitution!"
Under tho constitution and in ac
cordance with American principles
the Peabody government of Colorado'
operated as it is to the partisan ad
vantage of the mine owners and trust
magnates who corrupted the Colorado
legislature, is an. official mob. Those
who are so ready to condemn every
lawless act charged to the Colorado
workingman, while they have nothing
but praise for the lawless acts attri
buted to the Colorado authorities
should pause and consider whether the
greatest danger to society lies in the
unofficial mob that may be readilv
put down by the strong arm of the
law, or in the official mob composed
of strong and determined men repre-
?? S,Jr thQ momont. the author
ity of the commonwealth, but acting
as partisan guards for one of the par
ties to a great controversy.
Tho overshadowing issue is the
maintenance of law and order and the
adherence by all men to the spirit of
our government.
In this view the employer may em
ploy whomsoever he chooses; and no
one may by force prevent him from
so doing. The workingman may unito
his fortunes with his fellows and may
sell his labor to whomsoever ho
chooses; or preferring not to asso
ciate with his fellows, he may sell his
labor to whomsoever chooses to pur
chase it; whether ho be union or non
union, ho has the right to dispose of
his labor; and no. one may by force
prevent hini from, so doing. Men
elected to civil offices may not have
their commissions wrested from them
by threats of violence, even though
the threats come from military au
thority; if they have done things they
should not have done, an orderly pro
ceeding is provided for their removal
or punishment. Men may not be
driven from their homes becaiiRo of
their sympathies with, one or the other
biud " wnnvyiay. YYorKingmen
may not be deported and driven from
pillar to post simply because the driv
ers are armed with bayonets and are
acting, for the moment, under the au
thority of the state; if they have been
guilty of crime, the law provides
methods for proceeding against them.
The governor ,of a state is not the
agent of powerful private interests;
he is the agent of the people. Tho
legislature is not a tool of great cor
porations; it is chosen to serve tho
people and to protect public Interests.
The overshadowing Issue is, indeed,
the maintenance of law and order; not
only the enforcement of the law and
order of the statute books against tho
tfryr Month and XDannen: no
wiDSecdedJ Position permanent; self Bellor.
experience
Ejkask Mfg. Co., Stat'n 59, Cincinnati, 0.
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M.t) tUfen
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