Labor Dispute Quotes
Bear was the classic icon of the wealthy, insensitive, powerful, prejudiced snob. He even made other capitalists somewhat sympathetic to the complaints about corporations. See {593878} and {593879}.
Mitchell had warned that the strike was coming (see {607760}). The strike lasted 29 days and ended when the miners received a 10% wage increase. President Theodore Roosevelt mediated the dispute.
What makes this quotation interesting is the fact that Mrs. Roosevelt was a strong supporter of labor unions, but she didn’t hesitate to write to union officials when a union was making absurd and unfair demands. And she also wrote about it in her column. There were some union officials who wanted her just to send a private letter, but Mrs. Roosevelt used her column not only to inform the public of her views on matters but to educate them about the complexities of many issues.