The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-12-14


heard expressions of antipathy, but of
violence. except in so far as physical
resistance at the time of an arrest
may be considered violence. there is
none. so Tar as The Herald can prove.
There may be some. however. as the
feeling is undeniabIy strong. especially
about Scoield. but there is nothing to
lead to a belief that actual violence
is imminent or probable.
Guards Fear Violence
The guards maintain that they have
no quarrel with the strikers so long
as the latter keep within the laws. II
believe In unions. more than one
guard says, in substance, and I be-
leve in strikes under certain condi-
tons, but this strike is dominated by
a foreign element and is the direct re-
suit of the work of agitators, SO that
] have no sympathy for them But
as long as they attend 10 business L
shall follow orders and let them alone.
There are certain conditions here now
that demand strict rules We can
never ter what these men may do, so
we have to watch them closely. We
hear every day OF threats made against
rs. I don't want 10 be killed or hurt,
and. to tell You the truth, don't want
to let these strikers gather about nae
too closely" The strikers say the fears
of the guards are groundless. yet the
guards are not convinced
1t VIII be noted in the above quota
ton that two questions are suggested
one that the strike is the result of agi-
tation. the other that the majority Of
the strikers are foreigners. The first
named is open to question. as nearly
as The Herald could ascertain in a
weeks work, is right as it stands.
Why Miners Struck.
Did you strike because these or
sanizers came here and urged you to
do 500" was the question put by The
Herald to a representative group Of
strikers. NO sir, we did not. was
the emphatic reply of one of the group.
seconded by the others I'VE struck
because we felt we had just griev-
ances." Then you deny the charge
that this is purely a sympathetic
striker" Yes, sir. have worked for
this company for twenty years with
out belonging to a union and would
never have grumbled If conditions had
not made il necessary" This was the
view, substantially. Of all the strikers
interviewed by The Herald. These
men ought TO know what they struck
for. and If they are telling the truth it
is not a sympathetic strike. The proof
Of this proposition one way or the
other is not, however, easy of access,
so the statements of the strikers are
given for just what they may be
worth There is no reason why they
should be pronounced false and The
Herald is unable at this time 10 prove
them true
Strikers Principally Foreigners.
The other proposition, that the strik-
ers are mostly foreigners was taken
UP by The Herald in Scofield, where
an effort was made to get the poll
book Of the last election to determine
how many voters are now on strike.
This attempt to get hold of a record
failed. for the reason that Scofeld had
10 registrar at the last election and
law suit is now pending to determine
the legality Of the election that took
place But from unprejudiced sources
in the different camps, as well as from
personal investigation, The Herald
found that the prepOnderance of evil
dence is in favor of the view that the
majority are foreigners. This is not
given as an absolute statement, which
would necessitate a canvass Of the
strikers, something not feasible.
Opinions of people not allied with
either side, who reside in the camps,
are divided as 10 the presence Of the
guards on the ground not owned by
the company that is paying them. Tt
should be stated that people not inter
ested one way or another are scarce
in the coal camps; so scarce, in fact,
that they might almost with propriety
be dropped From consideration.
Opinion of Citizens.
Still. there are some. and they dis
cuss, confidentiauy, the proposition
Some resent the patrOlling Of the
streets by hired deputies as an insult.
n-rr-rIes
are there. 1T makes my blood Doll
to see these fellows running about here
with guns one citizen VIII whisper TO
you. when there is no need at all for
them. These strikers are not danger [
Gus. but I'll tell you what VIII happen
II the company evicts the strikers;
they will iii up these towns with idle
men who are sore, and III VIII cause
trouble The strikers would not harm
anyone If the guards were not here
TO excite them" I'm glad the guards
arc here" says another citizen, and
have felt safe ever since they came /
They serve 20 aid the militia in hold /
ing the bad spirits among the strikers !
i'm check" These quotations voice The /
varying sentiment Of a class not sui !
fciently numerous to have much influ- I
ence on the situation.
The militia boys are likely to stay in I
camp until the strike ends and some /.
dozens of them seen by The Herald do /
not like the idea of It. What's the use. % /
they say. "Of keeping us here with (
nothing doing2 There hasn't been any (
thing since we came and there ism /
going to be anything" This is the gen +
eral sentiment as The Herald found it, +
but some of the boys believe their pres
ence is necessary TO the peace Of the
camps. The company is glad they are /
there and so are the strikers. they say,
which is one point upon which the Op- /
posing forces get together.
Strikers Want Martial Law.
1--WE are not in favor of marital law"
said the strikers representatives at the
Helper meeting. but we would prefer
martial law to conditions now existing
In the coal camps where the company
guards are in control" This view The
Herald found quite general among the
strikers, who expressed a decided pref
srence for the militia over the company
guards The citizens OF the camp, while
not all convinced that the militia is
needed. were none of them heard to
express dissatisfaction at the presence
)f the state troops. The militiamen are
'airly well Quartered, in good health
generally and in high spirits most Of
he time. They are raising boards. do
ng guard duty and writing bits Of
picturesque description of the folks at
home. Some Of them complain they
viii all die of pneumonia before they
get out of it, but this class is small. In
general they would like to come home.
cut as their presence appears to be so
generally desired and approved they are
likely to stay until the finish. They may
lerive consolation from the fact that