LAWLESSNESS IN THE MINING REGIONS.
THERE was no excuse for the violent lawlessness among the coal miners of Pennsylvania. They had on their side a great multitude of sympathizers. If they had right on their side in the principle of the strike, they could afford to wait. The very ones who led them into the strike counseled peace. The greatest incitement to violence was the fact that other workmen—non-union supposedly—were brought in to take their places. But these men have as good a right to work as the regular miners had to quit, and many had families to support even as did the miners. In any event no violence should have been done. But there are things which should be considered. Many of these miners have never known the blessings of true civil liberty. They came from old world countries where the struggle for existence is hard. Brought from there, frequently, and employed by men who are coining their millions of profit, the miners should have been placed under better conditions, as they might have been. But the operators of the mines have held their employees as little better than slaves, to be used as their derricks, engines, and coal cars, for what could be gotten out of them. The New York Independent truly says:— The mine operators of Pennsylvania for more than a generation have exploited their opportunities ruthlessly, with an utter disregard of moral considerations and to a great extent in open violation of law. To hear them talk now about the lawlessness of the men whom they have been grinding and squeezing, for whose physical well-being, social life, and moral condition they have shown no more regard than they would for so many beasts of the field, is enough to fill a righteous man with indignation. For the moral conditions of the coal regions these operators and no others are responsible. If thefts, burnings, and murders have interfered with the peaceful operation of the mines, the operators have themselves to thank. They have knowingly and for the sake of increasing their profits maintained conditions that could yield little else but theft, incendiarism, and homicide. We are well aware that these are severe words, but they are true words. There is only one procedure that can be applied to the coal operators. They must be made to feel the true grip of that sense of justice which fortunately does exist in other portions of the human race. But will the politicians, the political judges distribute to them the justice of civil law? What reason have we to believe such a thing now more than in the past? These conditions have existed for years, and have been made public scores of times. Money tells in courts nowadays. But they will get justice, and mayhap much more. Read what God's prophet tells us of what will take place when the oppressed, feeling able to bear it no longer, rise to despoil the oppressors: “Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers, . . . which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth out; and the cries . . . have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” See James 5:1-8. Another says of that time: “Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? . . . Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booty unto them? Because thou hast plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder thee, because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein.” See Hab. 2:4-14. Now is the time for escape. Let him that has riches use them in helping the poor, the needy, the worthy. Let him do justice to all with whom he has to do. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Jesus Christ is the refuge, the only refuge for rich and poor alike.