The sun., 1903-12-06

TO placate the union by submitting consti-
tutional amendment to the people cover
ing the subject Last year this amend
ment was before the people and won by
an overwhelming vote. But it required
a legislative act to make the amendment
available and this the lawmakers failed
to provide by reason of the fact that the
Republican House wanted its bill adopted
and the Democratic Senate wanted the
| prestige OF its bill to use in future political
campaigns.
As neither side would give way. the As
sembly adjourned without action, not even
passing a general appropriation bill by
reason Of the struggle over the eight-hour
law. Gov Peabody was forced to call an
extra session to provide for appropriations
and he was threatened with dire disaster
II he did not include the eight-hour ques-
ton in his call This he refused to do land
the union managers took up the subject
with covert threats of personal warfare.
The eight hour war" is the result.
f! TO show what they could do, the union
managers fertile in resources and with
fat treasury behind them, undertook what
might be called in army parlnnce recon-
noissance In force" while the Legislature
was In session last winter. Upon the pre-
text that the reduction mills of Colorado
Springs were handling Cripple Creek ores,
| the edict was sent forth that those mills
must come to the eight hour system forth
| with or no more ore would be permitted to
| 60 to them.
| A strike was declared upon the mills,
although few of the workmen were
members Of the union, and the usual policy
was pursued OF midnight assaults and
threats to wives Of workmen.
Without pausing to reflect what diff
| cuties might be encountered, Gov. Peabody
ordered out the militia at the first intima-
tion Of violence. The troops went down
to Colorado Springs to find matters on the
| surface as quiet as summers dream
There was nothing to intimate that any
trouble existed; the citizens Of Colorado
Springs protested against the hasty action
Of the Govern or as damaging to the reputa-
tion Of the city, and the general sentiment
| was decidedly against the Governor. So
| he withdrew the troops and sent down an
| august committee which inquired into the
| situation and returned with a voluminous
report to the effect that matters had been
happily adjusted. The mills resumed with
! out acting in accordance with the wishes Of
the Miners Union and Gov. Peabody came
in for much abuse for saddling expenses
| upon the State by his hasty action.
Meanwhile the Miners Union directors
were busy with their plans in other fields.
There was a strike on In Idaho Springs
| because one fearless mine mana ger and his
company had refused to submit to the dicta-
! ton of the union. One night last spring
| an effort to blow up the shaft house was
, made. Kegs Of dynamite were rolled down
the mountain side with view to destroying
| the mine and all its occupants.
| But In come way the plan miscarried.
; The fuse burned too fast and the only death
was that Of a me mber OF the union who
! was found next morning noaf the place
and s,lspicaously near the point whence
the dynamite had started on It's deadly
errand. He had forgotten to leave his
union card at home.
This act 30 enraged the citizens Of Idaho
Springs that they held a mass meeting
and then marched to the homes Of
leaders Of the local miners union and or
dered them out OF town forthwith, escort
ing them on the road for several miles
| and threatening them with death If they
| returned. These martyrs to the cause
| promptly reported to headquarters in
| Denver. The best legal talent Of the city
was employed and few days later the
men returned to Idaho Springs with power
| full legal advisers, posing there as victims
| Of unlawful treatment by a mob made up
| of bankers, merchants and other misguided
and foolish citizens.
| In the absence OF the presiding District
Judge a Populist Judge from Leadville
was called in. He proceeded to cause the
arrest of all the leading citizens who had
| joined in the illegal act of driving honest
workmen from their homes and firesides.
| The leading citizens we're held under bonds,
! and the District Attorney was removed for
conniving at the action of the citizens.
So that district has been under the ban
Of the judiciary all summer.
Next came Telluride, where the most
recent disturbances have occurred.
By it's geographical and Typographical
location Telluride has always been much
Of a law unto itself. 1t is the stronghold
of unionism in its worst form. Remote
from the centre of population, with few
rich mines high up in the mountains in
secluded basins reached only by narrow
bride trails. it is naturally a most difficult
district to manage by the usual lawful
,methods If sheriff wants TO go up
the trails to get man, he must first have
the assent Of the miners, for it is u simple
matter to get behind projecting crag
along any Of the trails and "snipe" the
officer of the law with a rifle ball and no one
| will be the wiser.
In this district one Vincent st. John con-
Quoted the affairs of the local union without
calling upon outside assistance So sue
cessfully did he manage the union that he
had the entire district at his mercy He
was supreme dictator and no one dared
brook his displeasure local editor once
set up feeble wall that st. John was carry
ing things in too high handed a manner.
Immediately a boycott was declared upon
his paper and advertisers were declared
in danger OF similar boycotts if they pat
| ronized it. All advertisements OF merchants
were promptly withdrawn, and while the
editor made plucky fight for a long tine,
| he had to surrender when the lives Of him
self and his family we're threatened.
One mine which dared to oppose the
union by employing non-union miners