Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-03-24

were. So completely were the crimes
covered up that people in disfavor
with the president began to wonder.
They thought OF their own lives. An
onymous letters were sent through
the mails 10 some of these people
warning them to leave town or suffer
the consequences II they remained
which We're construed as meaning
death. At one time reign OF terror
existed for more than month. Some
of the citizens were afraid TO go home
alone at night and felt unsafe any
where after dark.
Peop,e who have not lived in n
small town Under such conditions can.
not form an adequate idea OF what it
is like. boycott in city is an en-
tirely different proposition. and an
enemy in city is quite different
matter
1t is unreasonable to say that all
the members of the union approved Of
st, Johns methods. There were a
great many good men in the Miners
union. but in some way St John man
aged to succeed himself as president
The people got afraid of the union,
and they began to regard the word
as a synonym for tyranny and oppres-
sion. and st, John done 1t all
After st John left here as a fugi-
tive from justice, his aide de camp
o. Nj. Carpenter. attempted to con
tinue his methods along certain lines
All they had to do therefore was to
ask and 1t was received. They. no
doubt. often chuclled between them
selves al their power over the people
of Telluride Persons that showed
disposition to be recalcitrant they
forced into line by their unfair means
with cynical smile. a suggestion
TWO unions were against the unfor-
tunate person. who. If in business. had
either to yield or suffer great financial
loss. probably resulting In failure.
Blue cards were placed in the win.
dows OF business men to denote that
the proprietor was on good terms
with the union. These cards were
nothing more or less in effect than
certificates or licenses to do business
in Telluride. so far as the merchant
in moderate circumstances was con.
cerned He must either accept
blue card or be forced out of bns
ness. Everything became so tn
oughly impregnated with unionisiu
that the word got nauseating. Every
request of the union had been com
piled with by so much alarcity that it
was for scarcely a moment considered
that the mine managers would refuse
their demand for eight hours in mill.
ing plants and other work around the
mills and mines.
The strike was declared the first of
last September Contracts with the
mining companies were broken with
out compunction by the union The
mine managers did not deem there
was just cause for the strike and they
rebelled. They refused 10 yield an
iota Not that the demand at issue
would have made much additional ex.
pense to the companies If it had been
conceded, but there was principle
at stake. and the principle was: lis
the mine owners or the Miners un.
ion. as represented by st. John. going
to direct the management of the
mines" The strike in Telluride has
gone OFF on a tangent, and the tangent
is more important than the issue.
A large number of the citizens of
Telluride united with the mine man
ayers in their fight against the union.
They saw an opportunity to free
themselves from the yoke of union
ism, and the struggle has been going
on ever since
Whatever may be said in regard to
the conduct OF the citizens the other
night It must be admitted they sent
out some men whom the camp is much
better OFF without