Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-08-30
LABOR CONFERENCE
The United Mine Workers Call
Was Not Very Heartily Re-
sponded To, To-Day.
A CONGRESS OF FARMERS
A Prediction That Seventy Mill
ions Will Be Taken Out
of the KlOndyke.
THE "AEALER' is EXPOSED


ST. LOUIS, Mo-, August 80.-The
conference here, to-day, OF representa-
tives Of organized labor, to consider
matters growing out Of the coal miners
strike, is the result Of q conference
held at Columbus, twelve days ago,
and at which call, drafted by the
United mine workers association, re-
ceived the signed Endorsement OF Sam
uel Gompers, president OF the Amen-
can federation OF labor, and James X.
Sovereign, general master workman OF
the knights of labor. It is believed by
the leaders of the miners that the sue
cess or failcre of the strike hangs upon
this conference, on the ground that the
fight now being waged is one of COM
mon interest to Organized labor,
throughout the country, and it IS the
hope of the miners that the cntcome Of
the proceedings will be decision to
extend the strike to every possible
branch of labor In the United States.
The conference is also protest against
"government by Injunction Oa this
point, the call says:
The great miners strike has gone beyond
a'struggle for living wages. crisis In
the affairs of the nation has arrived, in
which all patriotic people must determine
whether they will accept and consent to
live under the rule of an oligarchy OF
wealth, or whether the institutions Of free
government, the right Of free speech and
peaceable public assemblage are to be pre-
served. The present struggle has assumed
a contest for the preservation OF civil lib
erty and constitutional rights.
The tyranncal aud un- American in
functions of the federal and state courts
are revolutionary, against the first princi-
piles of free government, and derogatory to
the inherent rights of the masses, en-.
daDgering the public peace and destroying
the Individual liberties of the common peo
pie. The courts have deserted the temple
of Justice, and now stand forth the defiant
bulwark OF confederated capital. Their
arbitrary rulings have set up one standard
for the rich and another for the poor.
They decree that capital Is always right,
and labor always wrong. They have made
1t unlawful for starving working people to
appeal against tyrannical treatment, pre-
sent grievances, or propose just and peace
able terms for the redress of insufernble
wrongs.
1t is no longer mere struggle between
employe and employer. The judiciary has
assumed the indefensible claims of the
operators, and the struggle is between
tyrannical courts and the whole people
The courts, although under oath to serve
the rich and poor alike, have volunteered
to defend the sordid interests Of the rich
as against the Godgiven rights OF the
poor, and now threaten to turn gatling
guns and the Winchesters of criminals and
thugs against all who dare protest against
their despicable restraining orders. The
judiciary is prosttuted to the bidding OF
oppressive capital, has placed the rights
OF property against the rights OF persons,
and has Disseminated against the many
10 the interest OF the few. That $50 900
miners should be condemned to lives OF
drudgery and starvation by the arbitrary
rulings of the courts is an insult to a
bsnefcent Creator, an outrage upon free
government and disgrace to the Chris
tian civilization under which we live.
The object OF the convention Is not
merely to protest against the usurpation
and tyranny of the courts, but to formu-
late plans to compel return to the prn-
ciples of true government. and put said
plans into practical operation. Our peo-
Z pie have suffered all the evils that are
sufferable, and we are left to the alterna-
tive of submitting to the injunctons of
the courts and cowardly entreating our
miners to return to the novels of misery
and shame. or appealing to the patriotic
hearts OF America to consider our cause
and render a verdict in accordance with
the Just claims of suffering humanity,
We have chosen the latter and Will accept
the verdict with that fortitude and .resig.
nation becoming every liberty flowing pa
triot of this great nation.
ltC
The conference of the miners
officials was only partially successful.
to-day, and another session will be
held late this afternoon. Presiden:
PRESCOTT, of the International typo
graphical union, was made chairman
Of the conferepc, with RatchfoTd, Debs
and Sovereign, as the moving spirits
The fact that no accredited members
of the federation of labor are here,
rather throws a damper on the con
ference as the representatives of al
the railroad orders, whose co.opera
ton would be of great value to th'
mixers, are absent. For this reason
the possibility of general strike i
gone, end very little effect can COM
from the convention under the circum
stances. Several members OF th
federation of labor are here, but no
as representatives OF the order.
HIS Last Eltrance.
GREENvILLE, Texas. August s0.-
Jordan Osborn. q negro, lies dead