The Labor enquirer., 1884-11-22
The Weekly l'eport Of the Secretary,
Coal MINERS HEADQUARTERS OF !
COLORADO New MEXICO, Wyo-
MING AND UTAH.

south at the time Of closing my last re-
port was founded upon facts. and further
intelligence dis closed that a serious rup.
ture had been brought about by the
strategem of the officials of the Santa
Fe and the Colorado Coal and Iron com.
pany. They had in view a division Of
the miners, and to that end had laid
down certain plans 10 get the whole
force of men again to work without any
steps being taken to redress their wrongs
\ The men whora we had stationed in
those quarters, seeing an unconditional
defeat breaking through their best efforts
deemed it wise to Immediately enter
into conditions of surrender They sue,
ceeded in getting certain officials of tile
companies to enter into an agreement
with them to sllbmitth whole dispute
to arbitration-the arbitrators to be di.
rect employees from the several mines
owned by them
This was equivalent to saying, "We
shall not acknowledge the executive
board of the state, but will run little
concern of our own" Our men uninten
tionally committed themselves so far as
signing an article of agreement to this
effect, without any sanction Or anything
from headquarters. Later on, we learned
from our men the circumstances that led
them to take this STEP and became salts
fed in our own minds that it was at the
time being measure necessitated to
counteract the tactics of the "bosses,'
and from this standpoint of view, that ii
was somewhat iusti6able, but at the
same time unathoritlye. Becoming
sensible that it was serious departure
from the policy of united action, the ex,
ecutive board took immediate steps to
summon convention for Monday at
Pueblo. The board left Denver and got
to Pueblo on Sunday evening. On Mon,
day evening delegates arrived from Coal
Creek, Walsenhurg, Starkville, Engle.
vile and Blossbnrg to the number oi
seventeen. Thoy report that work, in
some instances, aad been partly resumed
but in other instances, no start at all had
been made. The order to resume work
not having come from headquarters
they had been at loss to know what to
make out of 1t. The whole arrangement
was perplexed one Arising from the fact
that the orders from Trinidad were unof,
fetal E., r. -.
The circumstances we're satisfactorily
and fully explained to the convention by
Mr.. Mcdonald, and the convention then
deliberated upon the advisability of ac-
ting to a unit So1nd judgment and
wise counsel prevailed and the following
resolution was unanimously agreed to as
expressive of the sense. of the conven-
ton. Mr.. Lewis moved: 49,
Whereas, This convention has learned
that the agreement entered into between
Messrs~ Mcdonald and Lock and certain
officials of the Santa Re and the Colorado
Coal and Iron companies, was made un-
der conditions that were not official,
be it
Resolved, That this convention de-
clare the said agreement unofficial and
consequently void.
1t was then resolved to order the men
to cease operations Immediately, and in
less than six hours the order was obeyed
throughout the entire south. Thisshows
how perfect the organization has been
effected, and how loyal are our constitu-
ents. And does It not indicate that we
are becoming a powerf Ask the corpo-
rations of the south and they will be
candid enough tel reply, "We realize that
you are power that we cannot any
longer afford to inoreP' .
1t will be seen from The action of the
convention that we are once more unit,
and if the companies attempt their
"bluffing" game again they will expert
ence some difficulty in accomplishing
their designs. E>
To the boys of the south / would say,
We are proud of the hoble stand you
have taken. Yol have proven your
selves men of honor and integrity and
that you have regard for the interests of
your brethren in the north as we'll as
your own. Keep that motto always IN
view, brethren, that "The concern OF one
is the concern Of ALL" and never devlate
from that principle.
At Tuesdays session of the convention
the question of making proyiso by
which those large companies could Sc
cure representation upon the concilla-
ton board, was discussed. Mr.. Lewis
! Ie.. notion, which was agreed to,
! -, +c1l9S one, article one, of the by
-saa sfegulatiQns : governing the
rd, shall, and is, by
Of this convention
nat the word afve"
sword "eight" be
lie secretary at once
mmunication with.
Of the board, and
the amendment,
reply was received
de to the arrange
ofan of Blossburg,
iTale and James
were elected bv ac-
additional MEM