The Labor enquirer., 1885-03-14
The Weekly Report Of the Secretary
Coal MINERS HEADQUARTERS OF J
COLORADO, NEW MEXICO. WYo-
MING AND Utah.

COLORADO, NEW MEXICO, WYo-
MING AND Utah.
The dark clouds of despondency srt
still overshadowing our brethren in thu
south, and A. n. Danforth still holds his
hostile attitude. A Committee from las,
weeks convention w,ited upon him te
try and adjust the trouble, but found
him elevated upon his lordly throne SO
high that he could net possibly conde.
scend to any arrangement hut his own.
1t twas understood that In the event
Of falling to effect satisfactory settle.
ment. that further measures having in
view the emancipation Of Danforth's
victims should be instituted.
Pursuant to the understanding, the
following circular was issued from this
Office on last Tuesday morning:
Coal MINERS HEADoUARTERs OF
CoLoRADo AND ADJACENT
TERRITORIES
OFFICE: 1888 Lariraer st., Denver.
WHO WOULD BE FREE HIMSELF MUST
STRIKE THE BLOW"
To the Assemblies OF the Knights OF Labor
comprising all trades within the States OF
Colorado and Kansas, and the Territories
of Wyoming. Utah and New Mexico:
BRETHREN: AT an Interstate and
Territorial Convention Of the Coal
Miners Amalgamation, comprising
fifteen assemblies Of the Knights OF
Labor, held in Pueblo, Colorado on the
third, fourth and fifta instant, it was re-
solved that should take steps to bring
before your notice tie necessity of con-
certed action in counteraeting the OPP
pressiye schemes of certain large corpo-
rations and monopoltes, operating within
the above territory.
During the last six months the coal
miners have been engaged in one of the
severest struggles that ever took place in
this country, and the experience has
brought home to us the lesson that only
in federation of all trades and voca7
tions can labor ever hope to achieve sat-
isfactorY results. Whilst passing through
our trials the various assemblies have
substantially contributed to the aid of
our suffering brethren, and we take this
opportunity of thanking all for their
liberal and timely assistance, but we
have become sensible that.a division of
power-or IN other words, one branch of
industry -eontending with combined
corporate bodies must inevitably fail
short of complete success. Equally sensi-
BILE have we become that in a coneentra-
ton of the moral ard intellectual powers
of all trades and vocations lies the saliva
ton of all 'who cara their bread by the
sweat oftheir brow" Satisfied that we
have reached that stage where we can
see clearly that 'the concern of one is
the concern of ALL" we seek the co-opera-
tion of every assembly and the executive
boards of workmen on the various rail-
roads in ombinei movement to bring
about an Inter State, and Territorial
Convention of all branches of industry,
which will be held at Euclid hall,
Denver, on Tuesday April 2S, 1885, to be
continued for several days. The object
of the convention will be to agree upon
measures by which our forces will be-
come consolidated in the event of op-
pressive steps being taken by any or all
of those large corporations upon any one
or more branches of industry. The
necessity and advigabiliiY of this course
has been forcibly suggested to our minds
by the inhuman conduct of A. 81. DAN
forth, of the Colorado Coal and Iron
company. Relative to his action the
following resolutions were adopted at
our last convention, and ordered to be
embodied in this circular:
."Whereas, A. q. Danforth, Manager of the
Colorado Coal ond Iron Company at the time
and upon the occasion of the settlement with
Coal Creek miners made pledge that he
would proceed to Walsenburg and Ell Moro
and agree to similar understanding as the
basis of set ettlement at those latter places, and,
Whereas, said Danforth after having in
fluenced the men TO resume operations In
good faith upon this understanding, has now
repudiated every law of honor and humani-
n
tarlan principle by refusing to live up to the
understanding; and having further publicly
declared that he viii swine out every Knight
of Labor within three months," simply be-
cause the men hare dared to question his
right to treat them with no better considera-
tion than serfs; AMI,
Whereas, Danforth has manifested such a
hostile disposition to our organization and
to the principle of arbitration being applied
IN any practicable and effective manner In
the settlement of labor disputes therefore
be- it
Resolved. As tho sense of this convention
that Danforth's policy in opposing intelligent
organization on tie part of workingmen is
not only gross insult to the rights of labor
ing men, but detrimental also TO the permia-
nent welfare of the industrial commn-
nifty; and we look upon tlle introduction of
colored labor into the mines of Ell Moro and
Walsenburg as unmista kable evidence OF
Danforth's intent to retluce labor in the
mines of Colorado to the demoralizing con,
dition of things existing In the coal fields OF
eastern Pennsylvania. Sensible that Dan
fortb,s design is to bring about condition Of
affairs by which he may rule with the rod OF
despot, and realizing that the consequence
of toleratlng such domineering and aggres
siye spirit to rule unchecked, will be to 1eo-
pardize the condition of The miners through
out the entire Statsan atljoining Territories