Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-06-16
THE CRIPPLE CREEK CRUSADE,

o
The merchants and other employers
Of labor m the Cripple Creek district
have modified the pledge they signed
yesterday not TO employ mombers OF
certain labor organizations, by substi.
uting the American Labor union for
-he American Federation of Labor
The change was not made until 1
i'clock this morning and was doubt
less because they had in the FIRST in
stance committed "a mistake by in
scri!ng the one instead OF the other in
he original pledge
Tint the business men Of Cripple
Creek should determine TO boycott the
American Federation was q great sur.
prise TO everyone familiar with the
record of that the most conservative
IF national labor organizations Mr.
iompers is the head of H., and how
ever he and the other officials have de
voted themselves to- the interests OF
organized labor. they have always
been conservative and have resorted
20 the strike as the very last aitorna-
dive
The American Labor union-the ma
'iona labor organization placed under
4 ban by the Cripple Creek employers
lis later IN creation than the Amer
.can Federation, aud doubtless came
.ntu existence because of The couserv
ltiye character of Che latter and the
rather radical aims of the former. The
rend of The Americas Labor Union is
20 socIaislic party intended to ad-
vance The doctrines of the radical so
'ialisL Carl Marx, and whenever %
'ould secure It's adoption by The dit
erent branches uf labor under It's in.
-lsdiction 1t has done so. The West.
lrn Federation OF Miners IS the cor
lers,uue OF the American Labor Union
md has stood it's sponsor wherever it
has ioothold.
There has been violent war be
weeu the aiuliatlng unions of the two
national bodies here u Denver and in
! number of other towns OF the state
0r several years until lately. There
was about as much autagonism be
tween them as between unions g3uer
ally and employers when a contest was
IN. Both fought TO organize the Iit-
,erent calllngs. with rather bad results
o the employer over whose shops or
mills they sought control The Dea.
yer paper mills is an Illustration. The
Mills downward career commenced
when this dual fight commenced, 1t
was impossible Tor the proprieto-s to
meet the wishes of both organizations
and as "A result the American Labor
union or, the same tning D., Denver
affiliated unions placed q boycott on
the product OF the mll, which WIS not
raised until the general Denver strike
settlement OF a Year ago At one time
he Times was hOyCOttgd by he same
organization because IT. would not dis.
continue the purchase of paper from
he Denver mills.
AS the Times understands the pres
mt situation 10 Cripple Creek. so faI
As the merchants aud other like EN-
pioycrs are concerned, what Is called
he Trades Assembly in that district
he American Lllgr Union and the
Western Federation Of Miners are all
lnder the ban. There has been close
Umpathy between the Trades Assem-,
bly, and tine American Labor Union
md the striking unions Indeed. they
are m eHcct one national organization
File American Federatlou-ul Labor is
tot TO be disturbed, and members OF
lnlons that acknowledge IT'S solo juris
ticdun viii go right along in their
eyoral cmploymeuts without being re
uired 10 abandon their membership
Denver Tlmos