The Meeker herald., 1896-10-03
LEApv,LLE SITUATION.
os.sr,i Brooks Addresses Mestiss Of
Strikers

Leadyille, Sept. 2S.-The meeting OF
the miners union was held last night
a. per agreement with General brooks'
and he was present. 1t opened IN the
opera house at 7:3O O'Clock. The
building held about 1000 union men,
while a crowd OF fully us many ciu-
zens blocked the street In the vicihits
of the theater. The early part OF the
proceedings were strictly executive, no
outsider being admitted what
was done, or at least the all-important
business transacted. got abroad ia.er'
Speeches for and against settling the
strike by going back to work AZ the
old schedule OF wages were maoe. ~
is said that the majority sentiment Ia
vored calling on, provided all the uhion
men were allowed to return to work.
After brief discussion ihotioh
was finally adopted appointing h'e
prominent known men as committee
to consider the question and report III
another meeting on Monday what thes
had decided was best to be done unuer
the circumstances The committeeman
are all said to be conservative. Ihey
will probably find out the ieeiihs oi
the mine owners on the plan OF settle
montiy spf4, 4,priGiD.arinr their report ios
Joseph W. Taylor OF Denver. attOr-
ney for the strikers who have been un-
der arrest, addressed the meeting. He
talked for nearly half an hour. He de
nOunced the killing of Fireman
O'Keefe and the destruction Of the
Coronado property. Such conduct, he
said, had lost the strikers many sym
pathiZers. II 1t was continued, even
in the least violent form, the union
selves with still fewer friends than
they had now. The members OF the
union must in the future keep strictly
within the lines OF the law. II not, all
the outrages committed In the past
would be laid at Its door. Attorney
Taylor Is quoted then as using Ian
guage which surprised some of those
present. He went directly at the ques-
tion OF calling of the strike. He said
the families OF the idle men were al
ready suffering for bread, and strong
ly advised all before him, in the most
friendly spirit, to return to their places
in the mines.
General Brooks followed Mr.. Taylor
and was received with hearty cheers. He
said he was in Leadville as military
officer under orders to keep the peace. He
took no cognizance Of what had occurred
in the past. but would take care of the
present and the future. He did not rep
resent any body or class OF men. His
orders from Governor McIn;ire were to
preserve life and property and see that
the laws were obeyed, and this he would
do at all hazards, as he was only ma
chine, knowing neither friendships. poli-
tics or religion. In all kindness, he said,
he requested his hearers not to hoot or
jeer at his men on the street, AZ most of
them were working men, who had come
to Leadville to do their duty. In conclu-
sion General Brooks said II do not ex-
pect any acts Of violence from the men
see before me. You are not the class of
men who incite riots. and l am sure you
will forbear from lawlessness yourselves
and discourage 1t in others"
After leaving the hall General Brooks
remarked: II never saw more intelligent
faces in all my life than the faces of the
men in tha, meeting" When he had done
speaking he was rendered an unanimous
vote of thanks.
From an authoritative source 1t was
learned this evening that AS the commit
tee created at Saturdays M now
stands, two are in favor of IL. ing an
attempt to make terms of surrender,
while three are for continuing the strike
in its present Iuiescent vigor.
1t Is asserted that the mine owners
strongly object TO taking back some of
the men who have been making trouble.
Several members OF the union today
came to General Brooks and agreed to re-
port the names of any men who should
in future plan violence.