Theodore Roosevelt Ends Major Coal Strike

Summary

The script narrates President Theodore Roosevelt's battle against the Northern Securities railroad trust and his intervention in the 1902 coal miners' strike. Roosevelt's pursuit of fairness and his decision to bring union and mine owners to the White House for negotiations highlight his commitment to justice. Despite initial failures, his innovative approach, including the threat of nationalizing mines, eventually leads to a settlement mediated by J.P. Morgan, resolving the strike and earning him public admiration.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Roosevelt's early presidency faced the challenge of JP Morgan's creation of the Northern Securities railroad trust, which he viewed as an unfair monopoly.
• 🤝 The traditional way of resolving disputes between business and government involved backroom deals, which Roosevelt rejected in favor of transparency and fairness.
• 🛑 Roosevelt's decision to take on Northern Securities was a landmark case that held a prominent company and individual accountable for the first time.
• 👷‍♂️ The coal miners' strike of 1902 highlighted the stark contrast between the wealth of mine owners and the poverty of the workers, with no legal protections for laborers.
• 🚑 A severe accident involving Roosevelt's carriage underscored the urgency of resolving the coal strike, as winter approached and coal supplies were dwindling.
• 🏛️ Roosevelt's unprecedented move to invite union representatives and coal mine owners to the White House aimed to broker a deal for the public's benefit.
• 🗣️ The meeting at the White House was tense, with the coal barons refusing to negotiate with the union, revealing their intransigent stance.
• 📜 Roosevelt's publication of the meeting's transcript swayed public opinion, garnering support for the miners and anger towards the coal operators.
• ⚖️ The threat of military intervention and the potential nationalization of mines pressured the coal mine owners to negotiate.
• 🤝 Roosevelt's collaboration with JP Morgan, despite their legal battles, led to the creation of an independent commission that successfully mediated the end of the strike.

Q & A

What was the significance of the Northern Securities case during Roosevelt's presidency?

The Northern Securities case was significant because it was the first time a prominent company and a powerful individual like J.P. Morgan were held accountable. It marked a shift in public perception, showing that the president would not automatically side with big business and the wealthy.

Why did Roosevelt decide to intervene in the coal strike of 1902?

Roosevelt intervened in the coal strike because the situation was dire, with no coal supply for homes, hospitals, and schools as winter approached, leading to riots and a sense of panic. Despite no constitutional right to do so, he felt compelled to act for the public's welfare.

What was the role of John Mitchell and George Bear in the coal strike negotiations?

John Mitchell, representing the United Mine Workers union, advocated for fair wages and hours for the miners. George Bear, representing the coal industry, was against union involvement and believed in the necessity of company police. Their contrasting views were central to the negotiations.

How did the public's perception of the coal strike change after Roosevelt made the meeting notes public?

After Roosevelt made the meeting notes public, the public's perception shifted to sympathize more with the strikers and to view the coal operators' arrogance negatively. This change in public mood put pressure on the coal operators to resolve the strike.

What was the outcome of Roosevelt's meeting with the coal mine owners and union representatives?

The meeting ended in failure, with the coal mine owners refusing to negotiate with the union at the table. However, it led Roosevelt to take further action, including the threat of nationalizing the mines, which eventually helped to resolve the strike.

Why did Roosevelt consider using the military to end the coal strike?

Roosevelt considered using the military as a last resort to end the coal strike and restore order. He was advised by some mine owners to use military force to disband the strikers and bring in non-union workers, but he chose a different approach.

What was the role of J.P. Morgan in settling the coal strike?

J.P. Morgan played a crucial role in settling the coal strike by agreeing to an independent commission to mediate a settlement. His influence over the coal mine owners and his concern for potential unrest and chaos led him to help draft an agreement that ended the strike.

How did Roosevelt's actions during the coal strike affect his public image?

Roosevelt's actions during the coal strike greatly enhanced his public image. He was seen as a hero who intervened on behalf of the people, showing that he was willing to stand up for workers' rights and the public's welfare.

What was the ultimate resolution of the coal strike of 1902?

The coal strike was resolved through an agreement that involved the creation of an independent commission to mediate a settlement. This led to both the owners and the union agreeing to terms, ending the strike and allowing for the resumption of coal production.

What historical figure did Roosevelt draw inspiration from during the coal strike crisis?

Roosevelt drew inspiration from Abraham Lincoln, particularly his willingness to break precedent and act without the law being on his side when necessary for the greater good, as demonstrated during the biggest crisis of Lincoln's presidency.

Outlines

00:00

🚂 Roosevelt's Battle Against the Railroad Trust

The script begins with the historical context of President Roosevelt's early presidency, where he faced the challenge of JP Morgan's creation of the Northern Securities railroad trust, a monopolistic entity controlling crucial railroad lines. Roosevelt, believing in fair business practices, decided to sue the trust, marking a significant moment in U.S. history where the government challenged a powerful corporation. The narrative captures the tension between Roosevelt's progressive ideals and Morgan's traditional, business-first approach, culminating in a Supreme Court case that Roosevelt won, setting a precedent for government intervention in monopolistic practices.

05:02

🔨 The Coal Strike and Roosevelt's Dilemma

This section delves into the coal miners' strike, a pivotal event during Roosevelt's presidency. With nearly 150,000 coal miners on strike, the nation faced a severe energy crisis, impacting the economy and public welfare. The coal mine owners, who had amassed immense wealth, were unresponsive to the plight of the miners, who lived in poverty and faced hazardous working conditions. Roosevelt, while campaigning, was involved in a serious accident, which only heightened the urgency of resolving the strike. Despite no legal precedent for presidential involvement in such labor disputes, Roosevelt decided to intervene, aiming to broker a deal between the mine owners and the union representatives.

10:02

🤝 Roosevelt's Unprecedented Move: Mediation and Resolution

The final paragraph describes Roosevelt's innovative approach to resolving the coal strike. He convened a meeting at the White House, bringing together union representatives and mine owners to negotiate. Despite the meeting's initial failure due to the owners' intransigence, Roosevelt used the public's support to pressure the coal barons. He considered invoking military action but ultimately decided to nationalize the mines as a last resort. However, before implementing this drastic measure, he turned to JP Morgan, who had influence over the mine owners. Through negotiations on Morgan's yacht, an independent commission was established to mediate a settlement, successfully ending the strike and earning Roosevelt widespread public admiration for his decisive action in the public's interest.

Keywords

💡Trust

In the context of the video, a 'trust' refers to a business combination or monopoly that controls a particular industry, in this case, the railroad industry. The Northern Securities trust was a conglomerate of three railroad lines, which allowed it to dictate terms and prices, leading to concerns about fairness and monopolistic practices. The term is central to understanding the theme of corporate power and government intervention to ensure fair business practices.

💡Monopoly

A 'monopoly' is a market situation where a single company or entity dominates the supply of a particular product or service. In the script, the creation of the Northern Securities trust is an example of a monopoly, as it combined three railroad lines, giving it significant control over the industry. This concept is crucial to the video's narrative, as it highlights the economic power imbalances that President Roosevelt aimed to address.

💡Antitrust Laws

Antitrust laws are legislation designed to promote fair competition and prevent the formation of monopolies. The script discusses President Roosevelt's efforts to enforce these laws against the Northern Securities trust, marking a significant moment in U.S. legal history where a prominent company was held accountable. This keyword is integral to the video's theme of challenging corporate dominance and advocating for fair business practices.

💡Unions

Unions, as mentioned in the script, are organizations that represent the collective interests of workers and negotiate with employers for better working conditions and wages. The coal miners' union plays a central role in the video, as it represents the workers during the strike and seeks fair treatment from the coal mine owners. The concept of unions is essential to understanding the video's message about workers' rights and the struggle for fair labor practices.

💡Strike

A 'strike' is a work stoppage initiated by employees to protest against unfair working conditions or to demand better wages and benefits. The coal miners' strike depicted in the video is a key event that drives the narrative, illustrating the workers' plight and the government's response to labor disputes. The strike serves as a focal point for discussing the broader issues of labor rights and the role of the state in resolving industrial conflicts.

💡Child Labor

Child labor refers to the employment of children in work that is mentally, physically, socially, or morally harmful and hinders their education. In the script, the lack of laws to protect against child labor in the coal industry is highlighted, emphasizing the dire conditions faced by workers and their families. This keyword is significant to the video's theme, as it underscores the need for social and legal reforms to protect vulnerable workers.

💡Black Lung

Black lung, or coal workers' pneumoconiosis, is a disease caused by long-term exposure to coal dust, leading to respiratory issues. The script mentions coal miners getting sick from black lung, which is a stark reminder of the hazardous working conditions they faced. This term is crucial for understanding the health risks associated with the coal industry and the video's broader discussion on worker safety and welfare.

💡Nationalization

Nationalization is the process by which a government takes control of an industry or business, usually from private owners. In the video, President Roosevelt considers nationalizing the coal mines as a means to resolve the strike, which would involve the federal government operating the mines on behalf of the people. This keyword is significant as it reflects the video's exploration of government intervention in economic affairs to protect public interests.

💡Elihu Root

Elihu Root is a historical figure mentioned in the script as a representative sent by President Roosevelt to negotiate with J.P. Morgan. Root was a prominent lawyer and politician who played a key role in drafting an agreement that helped settle the coal strike. His inclusion in the script is important as it demonstrates the real-life figures involved in resolving the labor dispute and the video's commitment to historical accuracy.

💡Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is referenced in the script as a historical president who faced crises and made difficult decisions, including suspending certain laws to achieve broader goals. Roosevelt's reading of Lincoln's biography during the coal strike is used to illustrate his contemplation of extraordinary measures. This keyword is significant as it draws a parallel between Lincoln's leadership and Roosevelt's own actions, emphasizing the video's theme of presidential leadership in times of crisis.

Highlights

Roosevelt's early challenge to JP Morgan's Northern Securities trust for monopolistic practices.

The significance of the Supreme Court case against Northern Securities, marking the first time a prominent company was held accountable.

Roosevelt's stance on fair treatment for all, influenced by his father's teachings.

The coal miners' strike of 1902 and the dire living conditions of the workers.

Roosevelt's injury in a trolley accident during a political campaign.

The urgency of resolving the coal strike due to the approaching winter and the public's need for coal.

Roosevelt's unprecedented decision to involve the president in a labor dispute.

The failed meeting at the White House between union representatives and coal mine owners.

Roosevelt's strategy to publicize the meeting's transcript to sway public opinion in favor of the strikers.

The public's shift in sentiment towards the coal operators' arrogance and support for the strikers.

Roosevelt's contemplation of using military force to end the strike and his reference to Lincoln's actions during the Civil War.

The innovative approach of nationalizing the mines as a threat to force negotiations.

J.P. Morgan's influence over the coal mine owners and his role in settling the strike.

The establishment of an independent commission to mediate the strike's settlement.

The successful resolution of the coal strike and the public's admiration for Roosevelt's intervention.

Transcripts

just two months after roosevelt took

office

jp morgan announces the creation of a

railroad trust

called northern securities it was a

combination of three railroad lines in

the northwest that covered an incredibly

important part of the country

so trust is a monopoly they can dictate

terms they can dictate prices and

roosevelt felt they weren't being fair

mr morgan

i was not expecting you well you are

suing me

to be clear sir i am not personally

suing you

it's the united states government

if there was something you didn't like

about my railroad deal roosevelt

you should have sent your man to see my

man and that's how it's done well that

would be preferential treatment wouldn't

it

you forget i was a friend of your

father's my father taught me everything

i know including that every man woman

and child

deserves a fair shake

do you intend going after my steel

company next things have gotten out of

hand law is here to restore balance i'm

merely enforcing the law spare me the

lecture

all i know is you're making my life a

lot harder

mr morgan

you're gonna have to play by the rules

the case makes its way to the supreme

court and roosevelt wins

it is the first time

that a company as prominent as northern

securities a person as privileged as

morgan

has been held to account

it was really the first time that people

felt like the president would not

automatically take the side of business

of the capitalists of the rich

but still

tensions are very high

it was so clear to working class people

that they were not sharing in the vast

wealth being made so they started to

take action

there was a sense that workers should be

treated fairly unions had been

growing in power

and in the first year of roosevelt's

presidency almost 150 000 coal miners go

on strike

and they're being

met with silence from the owners of the

coal mines

in 1902 the coal industry was the

biggest industry

fueling the economy of america the

owners of the mines became rich beyond

beliefs but coal miners were living in

poverty there were no laws to protect

against child labor they were getting

sick from black lung

being killed in astronomical numbers

so many minors wanted to change what was

going on in these mines

while roosevelt is trying to decide what

to do about the coal strike he goes on a

speaking tour in massachusetts to

campaign for his fellow republicans

in september of 1902

as he's driving through titsfield

massachusetts

a trolley pummels into his horse-drawn

carriage full speed

tr is flown about 30 to 40 feet in the

air

and lands face down on the ground

everybody who's watching this assumes

the president is dead

one of his secret servicemen is killed

roosevelt's bruised his glasses are

broken and his leg is very badly damaged

he has serious surgery

while he's sitting there recovering from

the carriage accident the need for some

sort of the solution to the coal strike

is becoming really urgent

the weather is beginning to get cold and

there's no cold that's been stored up

for homes hospitals and schools are

closing down there are

riots in the streets commandeering coal

carts

there's real panic in the air

but there was no

precedent for a president getting

involved in a strike of this magnitude

no constitutional right to do so he was

told by his advisors if you get involved

and you fail as you are likely to fail

then the responsibility will be yours

but he could not sit on the sidelines

roosevelt has to do something and so he

decides in early october to do what no

president has done before which is to

say look

rational people can come to rational

agreements so i'm going to bring in the

union representatives to the white house

and the coal mine owners to the white

house and we're going to hash it out

in that room you have john mitchell

president of the united my workers

speaking for the union mitchell started

work in the mines himself at around 10

years old

then you have george bear president of

the reading railroad speaking for the

industry

bear actually said that god had

appointed him and people like him to

determine the destination of our country

and unions were unnecessary

when roosevelt started the meeting

he said is it all right if i have a

stenographer take notes and they all

said yes

well the way i see it there are three

main parties involved

the operators

the miners

the public

and i'm on the side of the public so

let's come to an agreement

for the sake of the country sir the

union would abide by a presidential

commission to decide what's there we

want to work no commission is needed to

get these minds running we've got 20 000

honest workers glad to work for what we

pay but they're intimidated by him and

his life our reunion only wants fair

wages and fair hours nothing more

if you want the minds to run you must

arrest those that are responsible for

the intimidation and murder

my men have been pushed to their limits

and they've made some mistakes but

they're not murderers let them ride in

prison where they belong it's your

company police who start the trouble oh

not listen to your lies gentlemen

mr president i've told you my position

it's up to them we will never accept a

proposal with the union at the table

never you must

we will not let our business be dictated

by a mob

i would have thought a man of your

breeding would have known that

okay wasted our time

time is running out mr

president i try to do the right thing

well

now i know what we're up against

let's get all that

good

the meeting ends in terrible failure and

roosevelt's very disappointed however he

reads in the notes and he realized that

the attitude of the cold barons was

substantial and the attitude of the

union guy was willing to come forth to

some sort of solution that if he made it

public then there'd be a demand for

action so he sends the transcript to the

government printing office turning the

steados notes into a pamphlet which is

then ready by midnight to give to the

press the next morning so they can be in

all their newspapers

and it changes the public mood

now they felt much more sympathy for the

strikers they felt angry at the

arrogance on the part of the coal

operators

colon iron police private guards came to

the scene

and

no sensu is kind of a melee of rock and

stone throwing shots fired

guards shut another striker in

shenandoah last night

killed him

america needs its code

we've received letters from 100 mayors

they need help

we've got to end the strike yes but how

do we do that

well i've spoken to many mine owners

myself

they suggest

military action

military action

yeah you ordered the army to disband the

strikers and then you get the non-union

miners who want to work in

the union will fold

call in the army

can't we do that

yes bring in the army but not to disband

the strikers if the owners want to

negotiate then we'll just use the army

to take control and run their minds

ourselves they'll bring back to the

table that's not what i meant and i'm

not sure that's legal

we can't simply interfere with private

property like that i

have been reading john's biography of

lincoln

now there are times where he suspended

the law to get results right but mr

president those were different times we

can't we were at war

so are we

lincoln really was for tr a hero

and in the biggest crisis of his own

presidency the coal strike roosevelt

somehow managed to read this

multi-volume work by nicole ann hay on

abraham lincoln and he took solace from

the notion that there were times when

lincoln had to break precedent where he

had to act without the law being on his

side and it was necessary because he had

to be a steward of the people

and so roosevelt decides i'm going to

send troops in to take over the mines

and operate them on behalf of the people

i think he can say to himself lincoln

would do this if he needed to

lincoln

did what it took to save the union

including at times strain the

constitution to a breaking point

that was roosevelt's philosophy

it's important to have a constitution

but he always said the constitution is

not as important as the people

a lot of his negotiations involve

a threat

that's either implied or specifically

stated in this case he specifically

stated it he said if you all don't agree

well then maybe the federal government

is going to have to nationalize the

mines and force the workers back as

federal employees

but before he put those plans in motion

he knew he had one other option

and that was to turn to john pierpont

morgan the man who he was fighting in

the courts

but also the only man really who had any

influence over the coal mine owners

in pennsylvania the reading railroad

owned the mines

and guess who owned a reading railroad

j.p morgan

so he had the authority to help settle

the strike

morgan was starting to understand that

there could be unrest that there could

be disorder that there could be chaos

and that that would be bad for business

and bad for the country

so roosevelt sent elihu route to new

york

and on board morgan's yacht they drafted

an agreement that created an independent

commission to mediate a settlement to

the strike

[Music]

the owners agree to it the union agrees

to it they come to a settlement that

settles both sides and the coal strike

comes to an end

[Music]

the hospital is open again the schools

are open people have warmth for the

winter and the country loves it

they love the idea that their president

has intervened on behalf of the people

and he's a hero