The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-05-27
Chief OF CO! oGR!Al0
MILITIA RESIGNS
General Bell Says Troops Are
Used to Serve Corrupt
Corporations.
SENSATIONAL STATEMENT
Military Organization Used to Suppress
Workinemen and Protect Corpora
lions in Lawlessness in
Handling Elections.

Denver. Colo. May Fisherman
Bell. adjutant general of Colorado,
has resigned, because. as he says,
the National Guard of Colorado is
used to enforce the law against work
ingmen and to shield corporations tbs
defy the law. Bell is a soldier and a
republican, but has never taken part
in politics.
In an interview he puts the situa-
ton squarely before the people. He
said the men his soldiers drove out
of mining camps at the i%nstigation
of corporation interests were hired
by the same corporations to carry
the Denver elections.
u don't approve of using the militia
ment,' said the general. And l OBJ
ject, whether it is in a positive or
negative way. l am accused of using
or attempting to use the military in
the late campaign. This is false, but
the corporations used the militia for
their purposes and instead of the mill
tia being used to protect the people and
uphold the law that force was actually
degraded TO the uses of local corpora
lions to connive at the breaking of the
law.
Arrange to Mobolize.
1T was this way. 1 mac arranged
last month to mobolize troops in Den
yer under the regulation of the Dick
law governing the National Guard for
target and march practice. The Dick
law makes certain requirements before
the state troops can claim their appro-
priation from the federal government.
Our troops are in line for this appro-
priation, which amounts to $40, 900. and
l Intended to complete the work neces-
sary by having this practice. I was
about to call them to Denver last week.
1t did not strike me at that time hat
any political significance could be at
tached to the movement.
Finally, there was ak of a riot in
Denver and that the republican party
was to call upon the mayo and gov
ernor for troops. l was in Denver at
the tim and told the governor 1t would
be a happy coincidence to Ia roops
In this vicinity in case of trouble and
he agreed with me. 1 was about to
issue the order for mobilization when
began to see that politics was enter
ing the game.
Mayor Wright asked me to meet
him on Saturday night at his Office
in the city hall. He declared it neces-
sary to have troops out for election
day n wanted to confer with me at
s O'Clock that night. l went to the hall
to meet the appointment n was as
tonished to find the mayor failed to
SNOW up, ana lnat III MS pace was MS
secretary and the governors private
secretary. l did not talk to them, but
left feeling convinced that some mys-
terious work was going n
Thugs Imported for Election.
"On Sunday 1 found there We're many
familiar faces on the streets of the
lower part of town and that they were
of the worst type Of men in the west.
hen I discovered the corporations had
sent out all over the west and brought
them here. thought then more than
EVER hat the militia ouAht to he in
the vicinity of Denver in case of
trouble. but imagine my surprise when
L was given orders Sunday night by the
governor not to call out g single man
and to abandon my plan OF assembling
the troops for practice.
1T was then that 1 became con-
WINGED the military was to be used not
to enforce the law and protect prop
erty, but to encourage trouble by re-
fusing to assemble troops. l protested
but 1t made no difference. In some
mysterious way and In the twinkling
of an eye the whole plan was changed.
I had to interrupt my military duty
and plan because the assembling of
troops for any purpose was feared"