The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-06-12
Issue Statement Of Their Side
Of Present Trouble
is FAULT OF THE OPERATORS
Claim Their Acts Have Been De.
nounced by Many Leading Men
of the Community Who
Are Unbiased.

Denver, Colo, June 1.-THE executive
board of the Western Federation of Min
ers' today issued statement regarding
the situation in Cripple Creek In reply to
statements by General Sherman M. Bell
and Secretary c. Hamlin of the Cripple
Creek district Mine Owners association.
1t is as follows:
"The cause of the strike of the Wes-
tern Federation of Miners in Colorado Is
one of long standing and involves the
failure on the part of the mine owners in
various parts of the state to live up to
their written agreements. As far back
as 1884, as result of strikes at that time
the mine owners agreed that eight hours
could constitute days work; that the
minimum daily wage schould be SO and
that there should be no discrimination
against union men in the piecing and
discharging of labor. AT the outset of
the present trouble Manager Mcneil of
the standard mill at Colorado city per-
pmptorily discharged forty-five men, men,
bers OF the Western Federation of Min
ers for no other reason than that they
had become union men. All of these were
old employees.
To-day the only questions involved are
the enforcement of the eight-hour day.
the right of men to organize in the unions.
and to prevent discrimination againt
union men Of all kinds.
Mine Operators Are Responsible.
"The responsibility for the lawlessness
connected with the contests rests en-
tirey on the shoulders of the mine oper-
Rtors. the citizens alliance and their al
lies, backed up by the ready power of the
state government. The responsibility has
been placed on these persons and organ
lzatiols by District Judge Theron Stew
ems, who denounced the military usurpa-
tlon in Telluride in strong Language from
the bench; by District Judge N. Walter
Dixon. republican who openly condemns
Gov. Peabody and severely criticizes his
Hcts by former Governor Charles S.
Thomas, who points to the mine owners
association and citizens alliance as being
responsible for the many outrages COM
mitted on the persons of helpless and in
nocent miners, and by. the recent demo-
cratic state convention, which denounced
In scathing terms the line of policy pur-
sued.
1.-The events of the present week in the
Cripple Creek district justify every ac-
cusation contained above.
THE following crimes on citizenship
have followed swiftly upon one another:
designations Are Forced.
'.The resignation of Sheriff Robertson
of Teller county forced by a mob at the
point of pistol and coil of rope; the
forced resignation of Coroner Doran Of
Teller cunty of the city marshal of Vic
tor, of various aldermen and justice of the
peace in the district. the entire official
directory of the city of Goldfed; assault
upon and demolition of the union hall in
Victor; forcible entrance into the four
union cooperative stores and destruction
of the contents; destruction of the Vic
tor Herald by an armed mob; an invasion
OF Dunnville, outside of the military lines
by an armed force under military
command; arrest of men at their work
and Incarceration within the military
lines; hundreds of men confined in un-
sanitary bull pens; forcible shutdown of
the great Portland NINE employing union
men, by order of the military command
ant on the plea of military necessity and
subsequent deportation of the men there
in employed
photographs of marked miners refer
red to by General Bell, who he claims
were marked for death must be regard
ed as an invention of his own brain. The
photographs In question are those of
strike breakers and were kept for the
purpose of publishing scab list.
Miners Voted to Strike.
Charges that miners. are not allowed
to vote on questions of strikes are ut
terly absurd As matter of fact accord
ing to the constitution of the Western
Federation of Miners it is absolutely i'm
possible for the executive board to call
strike of its own volition. The present
strike is result of direct vote in the
unions.
Absolutely no deaths have occurred
during the contest for which the Western
Federation of Miners can or ought to
be held responsible. Some fifteen men
were killed In the Stratton Independence
mine through the incompetency of the
men employed and the culpable negli-
gence of the management These men
were unfamiliar with the work and were
Such as this mine and other mines in the
district have been employing at the be-
hest Of the mine owners employment
agency.
I'VE are foced to abide by the acts of
an unbridled military despotism that Is
driving our members from pillar to post
Their fortitude under the circumstances
is marvel Of the age, and shows that
the Western Federation of Miners Is
composed of the highest type of Amer
lean citizenship"