Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-07-08
the ANARCHY IN col RAD0.*
REV. DR.. GLADDEN. REGARDS
THE STU ALTON AS MORE
THREATENING THAN ANY,
THING SINCE sUMPTER
WAS FIRED ON. :,

studying the situation there, and
writes as follows in the Post Of that
city:
Since Fort Sumpter was fired on
nothing more ominous has happened
In the United States than is now TAX
ing place In Colorado. The situation
here is most alarming. The witches
caldron, around which the western
federation of miners and the citizens
alliances and the troops and the poll
ticians have been dancing for the past
years. has produced Its deadly deco&
tion, and the state has gone crazy. It
is not necessary to rehearse the con-
fusions and collisions of the past 10
months. Unreason and malingnity
have been raging on both sides of the
conflict. The strike was inexcusable
and exasperatihg the attempts to put
it down have been In constant and
reckless defiance of law and decency
and fair play.
At the outset It was announced by
OAO lCcesACAo VI UAO OAO4ACA0 014AoANO
that its single and definite purpose
was the determination of the western
federation of miners. It was not the
restraint of this federation from doing
unlawful dee eds, it was the destruction
of the federation. That, in itself was
an unlawful and nefarious purpose
The western federation of miners has
perfect right to exist. There is no
indication of criminal or unsocial
intent in its constitution. It been
unwisely and mischievously led, but
it organization is lawful and its
avowed aims are reasonable. To say
that this organization should not be
permitted to disturb the peace or to
injure persons or property, would
have been commendable for the citi-
zen's alliance to say that it should not
exist involved usurpation of power
which is simply astounding. But the
main battle has been fought ever since
along that line. Doubtless there have
been outraQes and crimes committed
by men belonging to the miners or
ganization, but the crime Of crimes
in the eyes Of the citizens alliance
was membership in that organization.
That is the one crime they are sworn
to punish. That is the one purpose on
which all their energies have been
concentrated. They assume that they,
being a wholly irresponsible private
organization, with no color or sem.
blance of legal authority, have the
right to do this.
It is q monstrous assumption. All
the desperate deeds Of the miners and
their sympathizers must be judged in
the face of the fact that they are con-
fronting and resisting this kind of an
organization, an organization which,
without any legal standing whatever,
is determined, by violence to take
away their legal rights. That is the
exact shape of the situation, and it
behooves every American citizen, out
side of Colorado, to look the thing
straight in the face before he has a
word to say about the miners atroci-
ties. When the dynamite was ex.
ploded the other day, and a dozen
non union miners were killed and
J several more were MANNED for life,
every right minded man was flied
with horror. Such diabolical deeds az
these. we said, put the men who per-
petrate them beyond the pale of hu-
manity. There must be swift and
sure retribution, and the miners un-
ion must be first to find and convict
the miscreants. Their very existence
depends on their power and their de
termination to put stop to such
1enormities. If they cannot do this,
they have no right to be. The trades
unions have no business on hand half
go urgent as that of making all such
atrocities infamous. They can do it
If they will. Unless they show dis
position to do it, unless they prove
themselves to do it, the popular wrath
will sweep them oat of existence.
That was the prompt Judgment of
all rightminded men. But Of coureo
right minded men assumed that the
miners union of Cripple Creek would
! have chance to do this thing. No
fair-minded man supposed that the
thing which every impulse Of decency
and manliness called on tho miners to
do, the miners would prevent from
doing. There was momentary ort-
cry CT horror from the men of the
,miners' union !; they disclained re-
Isponsibility for the diabolical deed but
before they had minute to deliber.
ate, the edict went forth that they
should be driven from the state. II
was assumed at once that they are all
guilty OF this crime; no chance was
given them to try to bring the perpe-
traitors Of it to justice; every man Of