The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-08
IDAHO'S MINE TROUBLES
Congress Asked to Pat an End t
Martial Law in the State.
Resolutions Adopted at Meeting
Under the Auspices of the Anti
Trust League and knights of Labor
Severely COndemninE the Presi-
dent and Governor steunenbcrg.

Trust League anu hnfshts Oh l'"bor
Severely CondemninE the Presi-
dent and Governor steunenbcrE.
At a mass meeting held last night at
Odd Fellows Hall under the auspices
OF the Antitrust League and Dis
trict Assembly No &c, knights Of
Labor. the action of President Mckinley
and Governor Steunenberg, OF Idaho, in
establishing and maintaining martial law
in Shoshone County, Idaho, the scene Of
the Coeur dAlene mining troubles, was
denounced in unmeasured terms. The
conditions which exist there, it was de-
clared, are shameful. and a disgrace TO
the nation, and that steps should be taken
to bring them to close Immediately
The hall was crowded with the members
of organized labor and people who are not
affiliated with labor unions, and all were
of one accord in their endorsement of the
sentiments expressed by the speakers Who
discussed the subject.
The meeting was called to order by
Charles W. Slater, who presided and in
troduced the speakers, With him ON the
stage were Representatives Slayden, Sui
yer, LentZ, f. c. Roberts, counsel for the
Coeur D'Alene miners: NJ ]. Gill. a
mining engineer from the Coeur D'Alene
district; Thomas Henry, Of Idaho; a. J.
O'Keefe member Of the general executive
board OF the knights Of Labor; Cotter 7.
Bride, Capt. J. H. Collins, J. H. 0Meara,
and J. T. Doyle, members of District As
sembly, No. 66. Knight of Labor; II. B.
Martin National Secretary of the Anti
Trust League. and H. J. Schulteis. Secre-
tary of the Washington Antitrust League.
While the meeting was in progress the
members of Painters Assembly, No. 1873;
Carpenters Assembly, No. 174S, and
local No. 26 Of Electrical Workers, enter
ed the hall in a body. There was a fair
sprinkling of ladies throughout the au-
dience.
In his opening address Nr Slater said
the sending Of troops to Idaho by Prest-
dent Mckinley during the mining troubles
was an infamous act, and that it was
duty We owe to ourselves and our God
to see to it that such condition does not
continue
The next speaker was Mr.. Roberts. who
gave a brief history of the trouble in the
mining districts of Idahe telling the
causes which led to them and the forces
used to carry out the wishes of the mine
operators. Taking it all in all. he said
in his opinion the most brutal and in
human act Of all was the refusal of one
of the officers in charge Of the troops to
allow dying man to see a priest.
Representative SulzeT told Of his connec-
tion with the investigation OF the CoeIr
D'Alene mining troubles. and said thar the
testimony offered before the committee
is the most severe Indictment ever brought
against the Government. The condition
which exists in Idaho. he said, which is
wholly due to the actions of President
Mckinley, is worse than any which ,er
existed in Siberia. He argued that it was
not 10 the interest Of the miners who were
earning a living at the mines to blow up
and thus destroy the mill, but that in fact
it was to the interests Of the mine opera
tors to do So for it would give them an
opportunity to bring about the conditions
which now exist. In concluding, he said
that the working people have the power 10
right the wrongs which confront them,
and he advised that if they lost the Op-
portunity TO do so that they would event
ually lose their rights. If they stood
quietly by now and did not endeavor TO
redress the wrongs they are made to
suffer. the Idaho bull pen. he said, will
always haunt them ss a living picture to
condemn them for their neglect of duty
Representative Lentz. who spoke next,
said the country is on the threshold Of
military despotism. and stated that he
would rather live under "A cespotisn like
that in Russia than under a military
President. The worst government the
people ever had to bear. he said was that
thrust upon them during, the last year.
The question which -confroBts the people,
he said, is not one of political parties. but
whether or not troops viii be allowed to
Cypress union labor. This must not be.
he said, for union labor is the bone Of
the Republic. President Mckinley and
Governor Steunenberg, Mr Lentz said, are
both opposed to union labor. and he warn
ed his hearers that when union labor had
no one to speak for it the members will be
driven by capital like the herds in India.
A. F. Gill also made a brief address, in
which he told Of his experiences in the
Couer D'Alene mining district.
The following resolutions. which were
adopted by rising vote, were offered by
3. II. Martin.
Resolved That 1t is Z! e sense of this meeting Of
the citizens Of Washington that the outragcs COM
mitted against the union miners and citizens Of
-iIt-tll ne county. 4tal4b- 10y llf troops OF lAt
uited States acting under the order oi President
Mckinley and Governor Stewenherg are descy-
ing Of the severest condemnation by all good ciu-
zcus.
Resolved That we demand of the Congress Of
the uitcd States that it shall at once take steps
to put end TO the shameful and int0lcrahlc
martial tyranny which has now been endured for
over a year by the oppressed people Of the Occur
u Aiancs.
Resolved. That it is The sense Of TINS meeting
that liberty. regulated by isW. aud the right 10
work without permit natural rights Sc
cured by law to the humblezt citizen that the
rule Of martial law. overriding the civil law can
not exist in a free government. permanent
government, CT when is shown by the testi-
mony before the Military COMMITTEE the civil
courts are in the unobslIucted exercise OF their
jurisdictions, that We demand that the Federal
troops be forthwith withdrawn. or martial law
and the permit system be- abolished
Resolved, That ezf rtsS cu- mos. cordial
Comma ndatiou for Attorney T. G.. Robertson iu-
is rave apo brilliant legal defence % ihe Im-
uTison,d miners aud We express clr hgn apprt-
citation of the noble public service THAT has been
performed in this c5s- 10y Representatives Leutz
of Ohio Sulzpr ui New York. SlaF5en of Texas.
fi1g of Virginia I5tt of Illinois. Cox OF Tcn9es-
-ro and Br0us-ard Of Louisiana. members Of the
'ultay Committee of rhs House of Representa-
lives.
BOTH FIGHTERS IN TRIM.