The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-07-28
STRONG TALK.
President Walters Address to the
Striking Miners.
NAY PROVOKE VERY BAD FEELING
Possibly Another Riot May ResuIt-The
Kansas & Texas Company Aban-
dons Its Pit for the
Present.

WEIR CITY, Kan. July 24.-President
Walters, the leader of the striking
miners, in an address, said, among other
things:
This is the greatest strike ever
known west of the Mississippi river.
| and we cannot afford to submit. We
must win, and the only way is to win. "
He eulogized the women for their ac-
tion in the attack on Clemens
pit, and said that when
he heard the news he rejoiced
at their bravery and regretted that he
was not in the front rank with them.
Again, he said: Every strip pit in this
district must stop. Let the smelters
and the electric light plant be shut
down, if necessary, for lack of fuel. 1t
makes no difference to us. Our success
demands the stoppage of those pits, and
they must be stopped at all hazards. If
they are not we are beaten
Speaking of ~ strip pit, which ran
Saturday and expected to run again
Monday, he said: Put your women
and children in front of you and go to
the pit with your flags and banners
and see those men. When you come to
the line don't stop, but go right on.
That United States injunction
notice amounts to nothing. You
are violating no law except for
trespass, and they can only arrest you
for that. No matter if 125 deputies with
Winchesters try to stop you. Go down
into the pit and persuade those men to
quit work and if they won't quit, per-
suade them. Cheers. Now. mind, |
counsel no violence. Laughter. But
they must be persuaded to quit, and if
one argument doesn't make them quit,
use others that will" Cheers.
''If three or four of you should hap
pen to catch blackleg out and give him
good, sound thrashing they couldn't
hang you for it. Those scabs ought to
be tarred and see if we couldn't make
them 4 little blacker than they are"
EX-Assistant Acknowledgement Allen.
who was here giving the strikers legal
advice, expressed himself as displeased
at the sentiment Walters uttered.
The Kansas e Texas superintendent
this morning notified all his men that
work at the pits would he abandoned
for the present, since the sheriff failed
to furnish adequate protection and
notified the deputies at the works that
so far as the company was concerned it
would no longer pay them: that the
sheriff and his bondsrneu would be held
responsible for any damage that might
occur, and legal notice to that effect
was served on them last night. When
asked concerning this move the super
intendent said it simply meant that the
company meant to hold the state and
county with the sheriff and his bonds
men for any damage done, and that he
was unwilling to tell his men they
lection could not be secured.
He said with the exception of three
Or four good men the deputies were
worthless as officers, and some had
openly avowed their intention of not
firing on a mob, while one had gone so
far as to say that he would fire on the
posse before he would on the miners.
While force of guards could be put on
sufficient to repel an attack it meant
IedIltil SlsiuS itct, WIN NOihcl diiOliS
the killed, and the company would in
eur such responsibility only as last
resort. If the Incompetence of the
sheriff, he continued, forced matters
into such Il state as to practically COM
pei the county to purchase its property
through damage suits the company was
willing to sell out.
Everything was very quiet yes
terday. The attack on ~" which
was planned for to-day, will not come
off, for there will be no workmen
there to attack. 1t is more than prob
able that the mob will gather again,
for the policy of the leaders is TO keep
up the enthusiasm of the men by meet
ings, speeches, parades and such de-
vices. As neither city. county nor
state authorities will take any steps to
break up the unlawful asscmblages, |
there is no reason to suppose it will be
omitted. One significant part of Wal |
ters' speech is deserving of especial no.
tice He said: ARNOLD is good man,
and you boys must put him back as
sheriff. He is no company tool. lie is !
nm orr side