Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-03-12

again establish unity in our city and
its continued advancement. and this is
preliminary to what we wish TO say
on the subject
First-The statements appearing In
the Democrat that as now constituted
and recognized, unionism in Durango
is going TO ruin the town and cause all
kinds of building improvements to
cease, is not true. During the past
week we have made it point to con.
verse with real estate men and build
ers' and find that The usual md-win-
ter activity has prevailed, and that
those who intended building have gone
ahead just the same One man stated
emphatically that no building has been
retarded, and that these who give the
agitation as cause of not building
40 so only as an exc Use in lieu of some
other. Therefore. the statements. To-
cally speaking have had no effect, but
II continued will no doubt have an Ell
iect on outsiders who might contem-
plate coming to Durango. because to
read the Democrat one would naturally
be led to believe thas terrorism prevails
in all industrial lines and it is only nat
ural for those not acquainted with
the circumstances TO go elsewhere Ii
Mr. Day was simply fighting the union.
then it would not he SO bad, but he is
making it appear that Durango is re-
trograding. that Industrial strife pre-
walls, and that all advancement Is cut
on. In order To jus iiy his course he
appears willing that all should suffer.
Is this right? We say no. 1t might
be different if all that the Democrat
complained Of was true, bat it is not.
The same wages prevail in Durango as
last summer and fall when the city en-
joyed building spurt. he statement
that the Durango Trades union desires
to dictate to all lines of bsuiness is
not the case. In fact. we have every
reason to believe that the unions stand
ready to meet with the commercial
interests and give every assurance to
the contrary. and that should Mr..
Days paper return to unionism, the
fight will be dropped and that no pos
sible trouble will result in the future
if such policy is adopted
Second-The Democrat intimates
that if the union makes its fight win,
it means strike at the coal mines.
smelter and other places where men
are employed. We are sometimes led
to believe that Mr.. Day, in order to
win out, would like to have this condi-
tion of affairs. 1t would enable him
to say. 81 told you so" Instead of
preventing such action. abuse is more
likely to hurry it along. 1t is hard to
foresee what action will be taken by
men employed at smelters throughout
the state when the eight-hour law be-
comes effective. but it is matter for
the men employed and the operators
to settle, not newspapers and outsid-
ers, and we are again assured that the
local unions will not take any part in
the controversy should any arise. that
instead every effort will be made for
the employees and the local smelter to
their own affairs. and newspa-
per interference will retard instead of
advance any settlement. We confess
that a serious condition may confront
our people The closing down of the
smelter would be a calamity. 1t would
not only throw the men at the smelter
out of work, but thousands of miners
throughout the San Juan and the state,
because should the local smelter be
closed. all other smelters in the state
will be closed, and we are confident
that once closed hardships will pre-
vail and the men employed will not
be able to secure work at anything.
But if left to the smelter manage
ments and the men to settle without
union interference and newspapers
stirring up strife. there will be ami
cable adjustment, The smelters of the
state do not recognize unionism and