The Elbert County tribune., 1899-06-22
THE smELrER STRIKE.
ronmitte~ of Cancellation Is nt Work IN
lInnc for sneccAa.

Hope for snccc~s-
| Denver. June 1g.-The Republican
| this morning snys: For three hours
| and half yesterday afternoon the
rItIzens' committee. of which Presi-
| dent JefTcry OF the Denver * Rio
| Grnnde ItniIrond IL chairman dis
russed fn secret session the conditions
| of the smelter strike with committees
Of the smeifer men. Eight members
lrons;itufed the smelter mems commit
lees. four representing the employees OF
The Grnnt and four the employees OF the
Globe. The official result. as given out
| hy Chairman Jcffcry. is contained In
lthe following statement:
-Tfe committee have. according to
their best Judgment furthercd the
opening OF negotiations between the
smelter managers and their men with
n view to nm early resumption OF
work. and the committee believe that
progress has been mnde which, In n
| few days. may culminate In the re-
opcning OF the smelters In Denver and
| Pueblo. II Is learned that the presi-
dent OF the American Smelling Com
pany will probably arrive In Denver
on Wednesday. when mutually satis-
factory sciilc of wages may be agreed
upon between the managers and the
men. In the meantime the committee
VIII offer Its services TO help bring
nbout so desirable a result"
All the phases Of the situation were
gone over In detail by tine commit
tees. On the question OF hours and
compensation for an hour day the men
apparently agreed with the position as
sumed by the smelter managers At
$50 Manager Grant went into the
conference and remained until 3
o'clock. When he came out he said
that there was nothing new In the
sltuntio but beyond this simple an
nouncement declined to say anything.
The members Of the citizens commit
tees were as silent us Mr.. Grant.
II is not certain that the men will
await the arrival OF President Nash
OF the American Smelling Company
before making another move. What
this move may be will probably he
settled to-day. Much of the discussion
Int yesterdays conference indirectly re-
yolved around the recognition Of the
union as n union in the determination
Of the wage scale and the hour system.
The men argued for such recognition.
but The citizens' committee did not feel
empowered TO consider this matter
the men. not as union, but as Il COM
posite body. through their committees.
Whether this VIII be successful Is con-
sidcred doubtful by some of the lead
rrs both of the union and of the State
Federation of Labor. The optimistic
tone perceptibie In the official state
ment issued by the citizens committee
shows that the negotiations so far as
they have gone have been carried on In
a spirit of friendship. and that both
men and managers are anxious for the
resumption of work at the smelters.
The citizens committee will hold it.
self ready to perform further service
pending the arrival OF President Nash
Of the company next Wednesday,
The sentiment ut the meeting of
striking smclter men at Gyllesten's
hall yesterday was strongly in favor
OF insisting that the union be recog-
nzed by the trust as n condition pre-
cedent to going back to work.
A committee of six, appointed TO con
fer with Governor j. b. Grant this
morning. was given power TO act. Be-
tween the lines of this instruction Is
read the intention of the men to allow
the committee TO arrange suitable
compromise on the wage scale.
The smelter owners on Saturday
proved the sincerity of their statements
that they desired the smelter trouble
settled by bringing test suits to ascer.
thin the constitutionnllty of the eight
hour law. A decision as to whether or
not the law will stand may be expected
this week.
An agent and an employe We're
charged before Justice Mullins with
violating the eiEht-hour law by labor
Ing and causing to labor two hours In
excess of that time at the Omaha and
Grant smelter on June 10th Each was
held under $500 bail, IN default of
which both We're ordered committed to
the county Jail. but never were actually
lncarcernted. At noon Wolcott 4
Vnilc applied to the Supreme Court for
n writ of habeas corpus for the re-
lense of the prisoners. This was Mt
once granted and thus the case will
come directly before the Supreme
Court. Tomorrow a day will be set for
the argument, which may take place
about Wednesday. After that n decis-
ion is possible at any time and will be
rendered Mt the earliest convenient
moment.
Attorney General d. NJ. Campbell
md Deputy Attorney General Calvin
Il. Reed. both of whom sincerely be
licve thc law constitutional. will pre-
sent the case for the state.