The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1904-08-25
WELLMAN's INDICTMENT

eight hours 10 longest day; clean and
nice nothing like coal mining; there 10 redamp
nnnes only dangers Of mechanical aeedents
the air in mnes, know the level
100 feet below the main drift is almost pure
sweet outdoors; the do not have live
houses, many Mines but occupy their little
cottages scattered about the hiIsIdss, ride
from their work electric with fares;
living is but little than In Chicago, single get
ting good and board for IS IS week; there
plenty OF amusements and reereaons good schools
at hand for chdren the climate 10 eathful
delightful"
AS to the eighthour excuse, Mr. welman makes 1t
clear that this question had nothing
1T has been widely published that this trouble due
to the anger Of labor people
eighthour law in the Legislature. By large majority
the people had adopted constitutional amendment the
effect that the Legislature shall eighthour
The Legislature failed to do 1t is charged
corporations corruptly defeat legfs-
ation do doubt this is true. and there is
strong adequately to condemn crimes
by the rich The Legislature had Republican branch
and one Democratic 1t was engaged in long and bitter
struggle senatorial election. Under such
stances it easy for the corporations to manipulate
things to defeat the eight-hour law.
"But the mine not interested In that prop
oston They had the eshthour day for many years
The eshthour defeat had nothing to with bringing
the recent troubles To that 1t had is pretex
aterthousht the strike Colorado City
weeks before the Legislature adjourned and while the
proposed law still under consideration"
And to ;he responsibility for the Independence sta
ton horror he says:
THAT the federation is responsible appalling
crime Independence station there The
mine declare of the engaged in that plot
known and all are prominent unionsts who have fed
the country. given the names of these suspects in
confidence and there is still hope of bringing them just
ice Judges lawyers and others with whom talked agreed
that the union had deliberately created reign of
trying win through intimidation fight which could
not be the Justice of the This the opn
ion of Democratic leaders in this community who
al
who. therefore the federation extent
as their conscences will permit them to do.
"a judge bench, though in politics opposed
Governor Peabody told me II true the unions bossed
the local officials and that II we-ngh impossible to
convict unionot of crime or minor otense.
He then justifes the measures taken by the
state authorities
.I have inquired carefully this whole question.
my conclusion is that the deportaons 1ustiha
BILE: that they humane. There is work of sgnif-
in what Secretary Hamlin of the mine said
to I not willing to take the responsibility Of
hanging lot of willing to take the RESPONSE
bilty deportng them.
Most of the 23s deported dangerous and
guilty men Some of any wrongdoing. 1t
is denied that mistakes hade and they
GREETED
"eut innocent deported may return and re-
establish himself An Innocent hanged has return
ticket.
when came Colorado it with feeling that
deportations foul blot civilization
Now, think conditions made necessary Bansh
raised a great cutlery in the East but
the truth is known. ! little to condemn In the
method employed by Governor Peabody the military and
the citizens much to nraise. They confronted
with great emergency and they met bravey and as
humaney a they could
what else could done? ask the business
men here. You might have kept the men as prs
oners That would only have prolonged the trouble 1t
would have made them martyrs. Attempts might have
been to rescue That would have led to riots
1t is n serious question far a in interior
ing with the rights while standing his
alleged constitutional rights. We carefully considered all
this deportation the most effective the most
humane. by it act of good public policy
said they had not right to turn these crmi
upon communities But the depored
criminals heart and of them not at all
Their presence here to crime. In
any community they would be good citizens some
of here. Most of these men were simply
unfortunate the victims of criminal system The real
culprs were the leaders of their organization
and the inner circle dynamitards who planted the
Internal machine and pulled the wire which exploded it,
| Mr.. Welman indicts Messrs. Meyer and Haywood
in the following terms:
"Hence arragn Charles H. Meyer and William Hay
the men be held responsible for this
crime against organized labor this ohense against our
civilization, and convict them before jury COM
cations Of the county.
1.-THE Western Federation Of Miners is composed for the
most part honest and industrious men, 1t is their