The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-26
MONTANA woRKINoMEN.
Ahe Anaconda Meeting Contrasted with
the Session of X. of L. at Washington.

Nhe Anaconda Meeting Contrasted with
the Session of X. of L. at Washington.
Billings Gazette: There is such a
marked contrast in the attitude of
Montana workingmen toward capital
and employers to that of workingmen
IN other sections of the country, that
II Is worthy of more than passing no.
lice. Take, for instance, the two dis
patches published yesterday; one from
Anaconda, where were assembled 700
delegates at the meet ting of the State
Trades q Labor council, and the other
from Washington, d. c., where the
knights of Labor of the United States
are in annual session. The latter sends
forth to the country a harangue
against the United States supreme
court. the highest tribunal of Justice
OF the republic, where, If justice is not
obtained. the entire fabric of our So
cial system must fall.
In most immoderate language. the
knights OF Labor denounce and con-
denim the supreme court for having
sustained the action or a lower court
In sentencing to Is months imprison-
men four strikers convicted of inter-
fering with the United States mails at
Los Angeles in the memorable strike
Oh last year. Without going into the
subject OF the merits of that strike. the
knights or Labor can only make enc
mics for the cause they are supposed
10 representative cause of the working
men-by such action. The people do
not like such language as a "travesty
on justice" an Outrage on the Hber-
ties of the people," partial ruling in
the interest of plutocrats" and the
'abridgement of constitutional rights"
when referring to the United States
supreme court, and will not tolerate or
support any organization that utters
them.
If our memory serves us correctly
the strikers at Los Angeles last year
created a great deal of disturbance, de-
Tying the authorities by arming them
selves, stopping the mail trains, threat
ening to ditch others and carrying
things generally with a high hand. AS
TO the cases of the four strikers in
question, we do not pretend to be post
ed, but as they seem to be the only ones
out of the hundreds who participated
IN the riots at that city, 1t is more
than probable that they only got their
deserts.
There were no such actions as these
on the part of the workingmen of Mon
tana, and while the strike was as gem
eral throughout this state as elsewhere.
not single act of violence, we believe.
was even charged against them And
they were as earnest IN maintaining
the principle involved in the contest
as the strikers anywhere in the coun-
try, the difference being that they re-
spected the rights of others-of the
railroad companies, of the public, and
especially those of the United States
government. That is the reason they
had the sympathy of the people of the
state. and well they deserved 1t, wheth-
er their cause was just or not.
But the contrast between the 700
delegates who have just been in session
in Anaconda and the Knights of Labor
assembled at Washington. is even
greater than in the railroad strikes.
Nothing immoderate has emanated
from the Montana workingmen, they
are always conservative and reasona-
BILE, and thereby have accomplished
more for their cause than such blather-
sixties as Sovereign, whose every utter
ance and action since he has been at
the head of the knights OF Labor have
marked him as a dema gogue, un-
worthy the leadership or the organiza-
ton he represents.
The Montana workingmen have
never brought discredit upon the state.
and we do not believe they ever will.
They have the respect and confidence
of all classes-capitalists included
because they have recognized that they
also have rights. 1t Is due, no doubt.
to the superior intelligence, because
they study and digest economic ques-
tons, and while they as stoutly main
tain principle as any workingmen IN
the world, they do IL through reason,
and not by violence. That is the secret
of their success, for they are better
paid than the workingmen in most
sections of the country. and deserve
every dollar they receive. Montana Is
proud of her workingmen, and has
just cause to be.