The Elbert County tribune., 1903-10-22
OWNERS STATEMENT
WILL FIGHT THE FEoERATloN.
Cripple Greek Operators Declare that
No Member of Western Federation
OF Miners VII Ever Again 30 Em-

NiiHCio "Sff 6N%N FN9dAh ~ 1'h
ployed.
C. c. Hamlin. secretary. and a mem
Der of the executive committee OF the
Mine Owners and Operators Associa-
ton ON the 10th inst. gave out the fol-
lowing statement:
There is no ground for compromise
between us and the Western Fedora
tion of Miners. In the first place. the
strike. In SO far as the working of our
mines is concerned. is over. We are
filling our mines as rapidly as we care
to. and have experienced no difficulty
in securing competent men for this pur-
pose. In many lines OF employment we
have been turning men away. In addi-
tion to this. the class OF service which
we. are securing from the men now
working is entirely satisfactory and
above the average of what we were Sc
curing before the strike, the Western
Fedration misrepresentation bureau 10
the contrary Notwithstanding. l think
we are placing 1t conseryatively when
we say that there are twice as many
non-union men at work in the associa-
tion mines to-day as there are men Idle
In the district ON account OF the strike.
To negotiate with the Western Fedora
tion OF Miners on the subject OF the
strike, to say nothing about entering
into an accommodation with this or
ganization would be breach OF faith
with the men who have been loyal 10
us.
"A large number OF the men now at
work have never belonged to the
Western Federation. Those who have
were largely forced into that organiza-
tion through intimidation and fear. and
took advantage of the first opportunity
in ~ . txFunTfigQl rIllp
Other men now at work have suffered
most dastardly indignitles at the hands
OF this organization. To desert these
men now and place them at the mercy
OF the Western Federation of Miners
would not be short of criminal. and
want to say most emphaticaliy that no
such thought has entered the mind OF
any member Of our association. This
fight will be continued in the future on
the same lines as II has been carried
on i'm the past. which means that the
end will only come when the pernicious
influence of the Western liberation of
Miners is a thing OF the past in the
Cripple Creek district No member OF
this organization will ever again be
employed in any of our mines.
For the enlightenment of the pub
lie il is only fair to give briefly the
grounds for our war on this organlza-
ton
.First-Twice during the last six
months they called out 1000 men in the
Cripple Creek district. not one OF whom
had n complaint TO make as to the
hours OF labor. the wages paid or the
working conditions in the Cripple
Creek district Their pretended griev-
ances were wholly beyond our control
''Second-These men were called out
urft In tho nina unH
without consulting the men involved.
ninety per cent. of whom We're opposed
TO the strike. Where the strike power
of labor organization is lodged in
the hands of a few men who can eXer-
else II without regard to the wishes OF
the members of the organization, and
at the dictates of selfishness and ca
price, such an organization is men
ace tn industry as represented by both
capital and labor.
"Third-The Western Federation of
Miners is more political than n labor
organization and has declared openly
for Socialism. 1t teaches that the en-
ployer and the employe are natural en-
emies. We believe that the employer
and employe are natural friends and
should work together for their mutual
advantage. and that any organization
which endeavors to engender strife,
hatred and opposition between the em-
ployer and the worker is the enemy OF
both.
"Fourth-The Western Federation OF
Miners prints the following on It's
union cards. 1-aborproduces all wealth
Wealth belongs TO the producer there
Of No comment is necessary on this
proposition further than to say that
Cripple Creek is a high grade camp.
and that ore stealing runs into hun
dreds of thousands OF dollars annually.
"Fifth-The Western Federation is
not only vicious in its principles. but
criminal in its methods. The boycott
and the sympathetic strike are among
the least pernlcious OF the means
adopted by 1t to achieve its ends. In
addition to this resort is had to the
whole gamut of crime and from threats
and intimidation to deadly assaults and
the destruction of property. 1t is un-
American in its principles and a men
ace to society.
I'VE trust that neither the public
nor the men who are still following
the phantom of compromise will be
further deceived. Our stand was taken
only after mature deliberation. and It
Will be persisted in 10 the end