Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-10-31
BEAT ROOSEVELT is APPEAL OF
THE COLORADO MINE OFFICIALS
Issue Statement Containing Recital of Wrongs at
Hands of State and National Governments.

disgrace. Let TO specious plea Of
Roosevelt's supposed friendship for la
Dor blind you 10 these facts, the story
of our wrongs.
Roosevelt. as president. has sworn
to maintain the constitutional liberties
of all citizens. Has he done this?
He knew from day 10 day the whole
story of the military despotism set up
by his pet and protege. the illiterate
and infamous Sherman Bell. He knew
that the state and national constitu-
tons and every section of the bill OF
rights were ruthlessiy trampled under
foot as so much chaff by the uniform
ed ruffians in the garb of the state and
in the pay of the great criminal cor
pOrations.
Say Rights Were Denied.
Every constitutional. yes, every ma
tiOnal right, was denied to us under the
direct order of the governor of a state
supposedly republican in form Our
houses were broken up, our premises
searched, our wives insulted. our prop
erty destroyed, our jobs taken away,
our mail opened, our papers suppressed
and all manner of Outrages and in
dignities and humiliation heaped upon
us to make us bow to these self-ap-
pointed rulers of the west.
Our people have been mobbed. beat
Ell with guns and clubs, wounded with
bayOnets. thrown by hundreds into vile
bullpens reeking with filth and YER
min, kept for months without charges,
bail or trial and finally torn from our
1 feaY
cars like cattle and banished from our
| homes.
we applied to our civil officers for
justice. They were promptly forced 10
resign. We applied 10 the courts. and
were insulted and defied. We applied
| to Roosevelt for friendly intervention.
and backing up our cry. from all over
| the nation came an avalanche of petit
tiOns signed by millions of sovereign
citizens, begging him TO extend the
strong arm OF the nation over the state
which was struggling in the grasp of a
military oligarchy.
Trust Influence Charged.
He found time to start the mimic
thunder in the famous message: Per
| icardis alive or Riasulai dead" to
4 III lllS IIIllSCIl illlO lHc llulGllSHl Ol
| the world. but he utterly refused 70
interfere in behalf of the Colorado
workers. when such interference meant
the withdrawal from his support of the
| colossal capitalistic interests of the ma
ton.
| He found his way clear to send
troops to Croton Dam and into Arizona
when property interests cried for sup
posedly necessary protection. He rec
Ognized no state line when, in the
| judgment of property interests, it was
| necessary 10 use the federal arms
against the workers.
| He swore to uphold the law-he
allowed it to be trampled under foot.
| He swOre to uphold the constitution
he allowed it TO be set aside by a
military Oligarchy. He swOre to main
tain the bill of rights-its most equit-
able provisions were brutally ignored
by military licIl-spittles to whom he
gave his approval.
| He had power to right our wrongs,
and he refused to use it. With one
word he could have re-established a
republican form of government in
Colorado. He refused to speak that
word. With one pen stroke he could
have destroyed forever the old-world
despotism now rearing its ugly head in
this mountain state. He refused to
write it. He heard our appeal. He
beard your appeals. He heard the
jhe workers of the nation wall for jus
tice. but the clink of corporation cam
paign coin drowned out our cries and
fired his imperial ambition.
Ellison Makes Affidavit.
Now. friends. brothers. comrades
in toll and struggle. he has refused
succor. We turn to you. From the
land of the bullpens and bayonets. OF
blacklists and deportations. labor Of
Colorado calls 10 the labor of the ma
ton for help.
Strike down with your votes tnC
strenuous advocate of war, militarism