The Labor enquirer., 1884-12-13
The Weekly Report Of the Secretary

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Coal MINERS HEADQUARTERS OF
COLORADO, NEW Mexico, WYo-
MINti AND UTAH.
The convention that convened at
Pueblo on the fourth has again heen dis
solved without bling able to effect set
tlement with the companies. The miners
representatives weregiyen to understand
before leaving their homes that the COM
panies were diiposed to compromise
upon fair basis. And. as it was a well
known fact that his was the position OF
the miners from the commencement Of
troubles, the Puebloites had concluded
that a settlement would result. Had the
officials oflthe companies been disposed
to allow their men hut a SAY" in COM
promise measure, the trouble would have
come to an amic,lble close; but the com
panies assuming the absolute right to
dictate the termB and conditions of set.
tlement, it could not be effected. The
men submitted lin article Of agreement
which provided that the. mines should
Immediately resume operations, leaving
the question of wages to be afterwards
decided by conciliation or arbitration
This the officials of the companies repu.
dated in toto, and would have nothing
to do with any mode of Cancellation OF
the arbitration IF disputes They de,
manded from the men an unconditional
surrender of all rights in the settlement
of the grievances
Committees waited upon the officials
to learn the position they wished the
men to occupy, and the terms of settle
ment that the companies were prepared
to enter into.
The officials Of the Colorado Coal and
Iron company presented the committee
with proposed! article Of agreement IN
the form of a schedule effrates for differ
ent branches of labor. and masterly(?l
document in the shape of written
speech
The schedule of rates in the main is a
reduction of nearly 20 per cent upon the
old rates In Nd case, nor at any of their
mines, do this company propose to dis
cuss the justice or injustice of the prem.
ises they take The idea of allowing the
men that they employ a.yoice in the set
tlemant of these issues, is something
/disdainful to their notions of the rights
of workingmeIi. Z.
Mr. Danforttl, in his written speech,
tells the men at Walsenburg that re-
ductlon in wages at Coal Creek became
necessary in order to equalize the wsges
at both those points, and adds, sit is
very foolish Of you (Walsenburg men to
compel the company topaz the Canon
men higher rate of wages"
"In justice, therefore, to the men at
Walsen andsEt Moro" they state areduc-7
ton at the Canon mines becomes neces.
sary! Mr.. Danforth7 evidently has the
interest of the Walsenburg mines deeply
rooted iu his heart, orhe proposes to
give them Justice" yea, with a ven
eeance. In the administering This way
of doing Justice" the miners of Coal
Creek are to be deprived of 20 cents per
ton, in order TO swell the official returns
of the company. If this is Justice" to
Walsen men ]. venture to say they want
none of it This is nothing more nor
less than an attempt to level down wages
to the starvation notch Why not give
an advance of wages to Walseu men and
by this means 'level up?' This rather
would be,a more rational and proper
definition of what 'just1ce" implies.
The policy advanced by Mr.. Danforth is
too ridiculous to be entertained for one
moment by any thinking person. To
the other portion of his speech l will
reply next week. l have no time at
present to attend to his sayings. In the
meantime I would counsel the miners to
think a little. for themselves.
At the Pueblo convention it was. re-
solved that inasmuch as the disposition
of the companies nanifests such spirit
of over, bearing tyrannismin refusing to
submit the matter in DISPUTE to any form
of conciliation or arbitration "that the
convention should do its utmost se resist
such inhuman treatment, and. maintain
the premises laid down in the articles OF
agreement submitted" -.
Pursuant 70 this resolution the follow
,, ing circular has been drafted and Will oe
sent all over the land:
,rifor INERS STRIKE-STAR-
4 AND LUXURY!
pFTlTIVE