Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-07-27
STRONG TALK.
President Walters Address to the
Striking Miners.
MAY PROVOKE VERY BAD FEELING
Possibly Another Riot May Result-The
Kansas s. Texas Company Aban-
dOrs Its Pit for the
Present.

| WEIR CITY, Kan, July 24.-Presideni
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 y
He eulogized the women for their ac-
| ton 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 IFS. 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 ''47'' 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
| a good, sound thrashing they couldn't
hang you for it. Those sea bs ought to
be tarred and see if we couldn't make
| them a little blacaer 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 & Texas superintendent
this morning notified all his men that
work at the pits would be abandoned
for the present, since the sheriff failed
to furnish adequate protection and
notified the deputies at the works that
would no longer pay them; that the
sheriff and his bondsmen 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
nd hot h
was unwilling to tell his men they
would be protected when adequate pro-
lection could not be secured.
He said with the exception of three
Or four good men the deputies We're
| worthless as officers, and some had
openly avowed their intention of not
firing on mob, while one had gone so
far as to say that he would fire on the
posse before he would on the miners.
While a force of guards could be put on
sufficient to repel an attack it meant
fearful slaughter, with women among
the killed, and the company would in
cur such responsibility only as a last
resort. If the incompetence of the
sheriff, he continued, forced matters
| into such a state as to practically COM
pei the county to purchase its property
willing to sell out
Everything was very quiet yes
terday. The attack on al" which
was planned for to-day, will not come
off, for there will be no worl1men
there to attack. It 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 assemblages,
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 q good man,
and you boys must put him back as
sheriff. He is no company tool. He is
on our side.