The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-11-26
WALLS VIEWS
Discusses Coal Strike and Says
Governor Wells Should Have
Sent Troops Earlier.

To The Salt Lake Herald:
In your discussion in this morning
Herald Of the action of Governor Wells
In ordering the state troops to the scene
Of the coal Miners strike in Carbon
county, / think you have committed a
serious mistake. and one which, If fol-
lowed in similar vein, must result in
embarrassing the governor and officers
acting under him in their efforts TO dis
charge what to him and them is re-
garded as imperative duty
Among other things, you say:
To date there has been no complaint Of
the wages earned nor of the other condi-
be no possible complaint as to hours be-
cause they are fixed BY a law made at
the instance Of the labor unions and up
held by the supreme court of the United
States. The situation thus presented
leaves only the recognition of the United
Mine workers or America as the object
OF the strike. II the men who have been
representing this great labor organization
knew the first Of its principles. as enun-
ciated by John Mitchell. it's president,
they would abandon any effort at intim-
idation. Mr. Mitchell knows by expert
cnce that violence in any form is the
surest means Of alternating the public
sympathy, which is Indispensable TO any
successful labor movement He recOg-
niZes that the labor leader who threa tens
force or violence Is the worst enemy or
ganZed labor can have. and he does not
hesitate 10 say so. There is no doubt but
that he would be the first man to re-
pudiatC the DemOllis and their kind if he
were on the ground.
Is is TO be- regretted in this situation
that there Is no means of compelling the
Fuel company to accept arbitration as
offered by The state board Of arbitration.
IF the employees were willing 20 arbitrate.
surely the corporation could as well de-
pend upon the good faith of the arbitra-
tors and the certainty that no award
could involve a loss Of vested rights held
under the Jaw And IT the company had
accepted arbitration the state would have
been spared the immense cost of an in
dUstrial deadlock. the humiliation OF con-
Tossing that the civil authorities. unaided,
could not handle the problem.
Publication Of correspondence be-
tween the governor and the superin-
tendent OF the coal company, and also
between the governor and a commit
tee OF the striking miners, left no
doubt as 10 the demand Of the strikers.
Of the letter addressed TO the governor.
and signed by the committee. William
Crawford Joseph L. Patrick, d. Will
son and Robert Lee
Sunnyside. Utah. Nov. Is. 1903.
Heber NJ. Wells. Governor OF Utah:
Dear Sir-I think It my duty TO inform
you Of the events taking place In sunny
side. We. the coal miners Of Sunnyslde,
have decided to quit work until such
time that the operators decide to recog-
Upon receipt Of this communication
the members Of the state board of 8Tbi-
tratiOn were, by request Of the governor.
convened at his Office and the entire
matter considered with the view 10 an
amicable adjustment Of differences be
tween the coal company and its ex-
employees.
Assuming that the demand Of the
striking miners could. under any cir
cumstances. form the subject Of arbi-
traitor. il was at once evident that they
We're not in position to ask its benefits
because they had Withdrawn from the
employ OF the company. However. with
the hope that they might for the pur-
pose Of securing arbitration return at
least temporarily to work. the secre-
tary of the board was. upon his own
motion, and at the suggestion Of the
governor. instructed to wire a tender
of its services to the opposing parties
in settlement Of the dispute. The reply
or the fuel company was prompt and
III great detail, but absolute in refusal