Durango semi-weekly herald. (Durango, Colo.) 1899-1907, 1903-11-16
Why ALL THIS
INTERCINE STRIFE?

The Herald has been laboring under
the impression tor some time that
strife among the citizens of Durango
vas at an end-that our people were
pulling together as a unit for the bet
.erment oil individuals and the com
.nunlty as whole. In this we are
disappointed as events OF the past few
lays nave Indicated.
In the first place we believe there
would be peace and harmony in our
midst ii MIR. Leyan had not meddled
With something that was none OF mis-
business.
He had no more right to start the
PRESENT agitation than an outsider has
o enter a protest against the quality
II uquor he sells or the price he
charges. 1t is matter Tor the ones
.ireGtIy interested to take up. Mr.
evan has no LIE right to step Ill
md say what the coal operators shall
pay their men than an outsider has
% say what he shall pay his bartend-
ers. II the coal operators and their
employees 49, working together in
harmony wadt business has an out
slider TO NEEDLE? ii the communica-
ion had been from a coal miner work
.ng in the mines at this time then an
entirely different aspect would be pre-
sented. If the miners have a griey-
,nce their place is TO present the same
o the mine owners and one Tor them
% settle II possible.
Mr.. Levan might just as well say to
n
md all other business firms that they
must raise the salary OF their clerks
md permit them to share in any in
,rease they may secure from custom
srs. For Instance, advertising rates
are lower in Durango than any town
II the country for the same seryice
md not Durango paper has made
money out OF advertisements. Sup
pose the papers should increase the
rates 50 cents an inch in orier to meet
expenses, Mr.. Levan would have just
as much right to step in and say that
he printers should share in the in
,rease.
Ii Mr.. Levans theory is the correct
jne and newspapers are found TO en-
iorse ii, then no man can have any
hing to say as to how he shall con
luct his business. It's difficult To
make flesh Of one and fowl OF another,
In this connection the writer be.
leves every iaboring man is entitled
% every cent he earns and the better
wages paid the better Tor any com.
nunity. We know for a positive tact
hat coal miners are the best paid
abor in this San Juan country. This
-;an be verified by an inspection OF the
pay roll OF the Porter Fuel company,
IS made up to be distributed among
ne men tomorrow at Porter and Hes
Derus-men are paid more money Tor
common labor than hundreds OF men
are being paid for labor in this city
who put in years of time and spent
hundreds OF dollars in fitting them
selves. But this is neither here nor
here. The discussion is simply the
result of agitation by outsiders-not
paid agitators as is usually the case.
but pure and simple agitation to create
trouble.
The public should not be drawn into
H., neither should the coal miners or
me operators. IN these lfOuDiesoue
times we all have enough TO do TO
attend to our own affairs. and had this
course been followed there would be
peace and harmony prevailing in Du-
range whereas there Is strife and dis
sessions and until the right principle
is followed this cannot be expected.
The Herald is untrammeled in any
way. The paper is not published to
uphold one class over another. but to
give news and make such comment
on public affairs as is right and pro-
per The publishers are not going
to set themselves up as 'hollier than
thou" and stick their noses in every
body's business and then call 1t ''in-
dependence" and bravery"