Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-09-04
"The Walking Delegate in Arizona

"The Walking Delegate In Arizona
1t is very evident that many people
in the east who have invested money in
Arizona, mining enterprises have be-
come unduly alarmed by advices from
their representatives concerning labor
troubles in this territory. a resident
of New York. ]. T. Odgers, writes q
long letter to the New York Sun on the
subject CT THE walking delegate in
Arizona" in which he complains that
the mining business here has been par
alyzeu by the intolerable tyranny of
the walking delegates of the miners
union, and that life and property are
no longer safe. He urges that it is the
duty of the national government to
take matters in hand, since the terri
tory is directly under national control
But the situation is not nearly SO bad
as Mr.. Odgers has been led to believe.
Il have received information from
friends who have invested heavily in
Yevapai county, revealing a perfect
tragedy of blood" writes the Sun cor
respondent. THE baneful influence of
litory and has already spread to such
proportions that it seems necessary that
the national government should inter-
vene to check it The organizations led
by the walking delegates have caused
several mines completely to suspend
operations. The mine owners attempts
TO work with non-union labor have
been answered with bullets from the
employees of the unions. Several inno-
cent men have fallen in the past few
months. Many more have barely es-
capped death, and it is quite possible
that the past two weeks recorded half
dozen deaths. Threats of assassina-
tion are openly and defiantly made by
the law-breakerS. The mineral riches
of Arizona are too great to be preju-
diced by such acts of brigandage, as
prevail there, and with proper protec-
tion by the law the opportunities for
labor in the territory are unbounded-
Thousands of men can find good and
profitable employment there now. Mi
ners in Arizona are better paid than
any other class of laboring men, their
average pay being more than So a day,
and millions of dollars are waiting to
give the country the development to
which it is entitled"
The truth is, that while the walking
delegates have done their utmost to
make the conditions in Arizona as
black as the Sun correspondent paints
them, two factors have have operated
TO protect the mining business to a
great extent. First and foremost should
be mentioned the intelligence and law
iocr rif Of Io
Second, is the firmness with which the
local authorities have dealt with law
lessness from the moment that law
breakers attempted to get the upper
hard. When acting Governor Stoddard
suppressed riot and anarchy at Clifton
and Mcrenci and made it plain that
violence and intimidation would not be
tolerated, the disturbers were taught u
lesson which they will not soon forget
And the firm manner in which Judge
Sloan met the incipient outbreaks OF
=. anarchy in Yavapai county put an end
to any danger that law and order
would not prevail i'll that county. The
walking delegates and the professional
agitators and followers who pick up a
better living when labor is disturbed
did, all they could to ruin mining in
Yayapai county, but they were so few
in number that their defeat was as
sured from the first.
1t was impossible for the agitator.
and law-breakers to enlist the great
body of miners as followers. The mi
ners of Arizona. recognize that theil
worst enemies are the agitators, anC
that the interests of mine operator ant
miner are identical. A sense of loyalt,
to the organizations over which TIN
walking delegates have gained contro
has kept many miners from expressing
themselves. but it is safe to say tina
not five per cent of the working miner
wish to sec any unpleasant relations
between themselves and their employ
ers. And when the test comes they vii
not stand for violence, or even for tn
stagnation of the mining industry.
There has been no murder.
The future CT mining in Arizona
ell right, and investors should not tax
fright at the loud talk of the agitator
Our own people can form some idea
however. as to the extent to which in
vcstments are being hung up.
The Faulty Argument of ComparIso
If it were not possible TO advance
better reason for building a great nav