Birmingham age-herald., 1894-07-26
Of the Conference Between Gov.
 Thomas G. Jones and
MINERS EXECUTIVE BOARD
Situation Reviewed and Plain Statements Madeline Board
 Answers a Proposition.

The following is stenographic report of an interview held July 19 at the head quarters of Gov. Thomas G. Jones, at which the following were present: Gov. Thomas G. Jones, President Fournier, John LaMont, John Bell, John Stich, members of said committee, and Lieut.. James B. Erwin of the governors staff:
 Governor Jones-Gentlemen, have sent for you this afternoon to have very plain and frank talk. will be obliged if you will wait until 1 finish before you inter- rupt me, and then l W ill be very glad to hear anything you may have to say in re- ply.
 There is a deplora5le state of affairs in Jefferson county. We all know what has happened and why it has happened and what it will lead to if this state of things is permitted to continue. Under present con- ditions, in the opinion of the public and in my opinion, you will be largely responsible for whatever may happen hereafter if you stand further in the way of the free and unconstrained exercise by every miner in Alabama of his individual right to deter mine for himself what he ought to do in set- ting the strike, and thus aiding in restor- ing peace to this people and putting stop to this reign of lawlessness. This lawless- ness began with the strike and everybody knows that it will continue as long as the strike continues. This is universal expe- rience.
 It will not do any longer to answer that your committee and individuals mposing it are law abiding, and that nearly all the miners are law abiding, and that you will continue to advise obedience to the law, but that outside people, whom you cannot control, take advantage of the situation and commit these deeds of deviltry and violence. have often said that the mass of miners were law-abiding, but, conced- ing that, it must be now apparent to you anything but law-abiding. The legal, as well as the moral, responsibility for two of the worst acts of lawlessness committed in this strike undoubtedly rests upon miners. This is matter beyond dispute and not capable of denial. The evidence regarding the outrage of Horse Creek, as you know, was taken down before com mittee of your committee and member of my staff.
 It developed the fact that large mob of miners gathered to blow up Price's boiler ana terrorize Horse Creek. This evidence shows that the outbreak was largely the prQdHct of an incendiary speech made by on4 Willingham, whom your committee se0 there to organize the men and keep them straight during the strike. l do not charge that you authorized him to say what he did, but unfortunately he represented your; committee and had it's badge of authority, and he was the instrument who melted other miners to violence and destruction of property there.
 MAssA CRE AT PRATT MINES.
 1t is idle for any man to declare that the bulk of the participants of the Pratt mines massacre were not miners. Several hun dred miners attended the meeting which led to it, and nearly 200 of them actually nortiCinate6 n thu r6a hot fol The authorities know all that happened there, including the vote taken and the division among the miners as to whether these murders should be committed. There was great excitement at Pratt mines for over an hour before the massacre, and many people in Pratt mines evidently knew what was going to take place.
 You will remember that on Monday morning before the shooting that evening sent for your committee and urged them to put an end to the state of affairs existing here by allowing the miners at Blocton to go to work; that 1 informed you that, while officially had no power in the set tlement of the differences as to wages, it WAS the duty of the state when called on to furnish protection to people who wanted to go tozwork, and that, as the sheriff of Blob county said he could not answer for the protection of the people who went to work, though he would do his best, I would be compelled to send strong mil itary force to Blocton to protect the people who wanted to go to work. I informed youstb did not wish to do this, and asked you If 1t would not be better to ad- wise The miners to accept the last proposi- ton and go to work rather than have their places taken by others and the community put to the turmoil and the state of affairs which would likely result. You said you would not advise such course, but that you would give me the names of men who would confer with me, and that you would ask them to come here and see me. While these gent emen were waiting to come up here, and after had ordered the troops away and they had been gone Pratt mines. Even the most sanguine sup porter of the strike will admit that the last vest1ge Of hope of it's success was gone if men went to work at Blocton and were pro- tected as they had been at Pratt mines. Now, what is the conclusion to be drawn from this massacre, under the circum- stances? It would seem that it was the an- swer to the state of Alabama, and was in- tended to convey about this message: 'Here is what you may expect when the men go to work at Bocton, and you must also take heed lest you cannot protect any longer those who are at work at Pratt mines" Now, this state of affairs has reached almost the stage of rebellion against the state of Alabama.
 Here the governor called attention to section 3763 of the code, and discussed with the co11.c:mittee some matters regarding the effect of their action c7acerning men gol to work and the tj 11nica. should go to work q
 which matter the
 The governor
 there IS another
 and l wish to,
 not be mis-
 and | dn not