The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-11-21

I The answer of Governor Wells. which
was read at the meeting of the board
/ yesterday, is as follows:
I Salt Lake City. Utah, Nov. H., 1893
| Messrs William Crawford, Joseph Il.
Patrick, D. Wilson ana R I29eL Lee
Gentlemen have the honor to ac-
knowledge receipt of your letter. dateo
! Sunnyside, Nov. 10. 1903, informing me
that you. as coal miners of Sunnyside,
| had decid I'd to quit work until such time
as the Utah Fuel company would recog-
nize the association known as the United
Mine Workers of America; also complain
ing of ar alleged outrage against GER
tain coal miners committed on the county
road between Sunnyside and Price; and
further stating that while everybody at
Sunnyside was obeying the law. you con
slider that the sheriff is taking the law
into his own hand, etc.
Replying to these statements, | desire
to say that | have communicated with
the sheriff of Carbon county as to your
allegations. requiring full and immediate
investigation of the unlawful conduct
charged against certain armed men sup
posed to be in the employ of the Utah
Fnel company. the facts to be reported
to me at once. You may feel entlrely as
sured that as far as lies in my power
any injury or menace from Wn1ch lhe
law-abiding people of your vicinity may
be suffering will be promptly corrected
and removed. Ia
universal in it's application L am com
PEELED to inform you that complaints
have been made to me as to unlawful ana
threatening conduct on the part OF some
of the striking coal miners toward the
said Utah Fuel company. These COM
plants are in effect that armed bodies OF
striking miners have been guilty OF as
turbing the peace in seeking TO coGrce
non-strikers into leaving their employ
ment, Joining the mine workers society
or doing something which seems to be re-
pugnant to them. You will recognize the
propriety of my action In referring these
charges to the sheriff LOT lnHIeuidle III
yestigation and report
In this connection [ will be permitted
to say that it is matter OF very Sreae
regret to me that the coal miners oI
Sunnyside are not able TO ADJUST theT
differences with their employers without
recourse to the very. doubtful expedtent
of striking with the evil consequences
that inevitably ensue TO both empower
and employed from such course. can
your attention to the fact that the state
of Utah has dore everything in its power
To dignity the laboring man and protect
him in his lawful rights the legislature
has provided that eight hours shall con-
stitute a days labor for men who work
i'm underground mines and this law is
rigidly enforced throughout the state, ne
legislature in further recognition OF the
rights especially of coal miners, and FOR
their better protection and health and
safety. has provided for frequent lnspec-
tions of coal mines by an adequate force
Of conoetent inspectors. together with q
thorough and efficient law pattereneu
after the most approved methods OF moo
ern times, compelling mine operators 10
take every possible precaqtion for safe
guarding the interests of the coal miners.
Strikers Owe State Consideration.
sTn view of these facts. l submit that
the coal miners of the state for this pro
lection extended TO them by the state,
owe the state something in return They
owe it the duty of being good citizens and
conforming to it's laws Before going out
upon strike therefore. and precipttating
the evil consequences which must be OBJ
vious, l submit that if your grievances
have become intolerable and your en-
ployers have refused or failed i, to redress
authority provided by law for such re-
dress, This authority is the state board far
whose DUTY it is to adjudicate and, II
possible, settle all differences that may
rise between employer and employee.
said board is at present composed Of
three we'll known citizens OF the state,
selected BY the governor and
confirmed by the. state senate for their
-mindedness and experience in such