Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1904-06-10
COLOHADu'S LABOR TROUBLES.

interesting history OF the labor troubles
in Colorado:
The story OF the conflict in Colorado
and its causes would require more space
than can be given i'll a short newspaper
article: Nevertheless there are certain
features Of it which can be discussed.
To begin with there have been wrongs
committed by both sides, and crimes
committed by both sides. The fight
had its inception in the efforts to secure
au cight.ho work day. In 1899 the
Colorado Legislature passed an act maxi
ing eight hours II legal wOr!: day. Ii
wa declared unconstitutional 10y the
Supreme Court OF the State, Two y0ars
ago the unions succeeded in having an
amendment to the Constitution sub
mitted to the people which carried by
18Th votes. This ~ammcEdment was to
the effect that The General Assembly
shall provide by law" for nm cight.hou
work day. which made it mandatory for
the next Legislature to puss a law Civ.
ing the amendment effect. Nevertheless
the succeeding legislature adjourned
without passing such a law, due, thee
Is no question, to The lobby OF the
American Smelling and Refining Co.,
the Eos:on Smelling Co., the Veto
Coal aud Coke Co., the Colorado Fuel
and Iron Co., the United States Re-
duction and Refining Co., and kindred
reduction plants.
~ this point make this note: That
the concerns which defeated the eight
hour law in Colorado were the great
smelters. while for several years pre.
vious, the mines had been working on
eight hour shifts Mt union wages. At
the two chief centcrs of the present
strike, Cripple Creek and Telluride. the
men were working eight hours and ut
the wages they wanted. No miners in
the world worked under more favorable
conditions or were more generally ron.
tented. Al Cripple Creek there had
been peace and prosperity since the
strikn in 1891 and Mt Telluride since
1901.
Tho conflict began III tho cndeavor to
force the smcltcrs To ucccde to nm eight
hour law. After n series OF strikes and
lockout which were unsuccessful save
III n measure, President Meyer, Sccre-
tary Haywood and the Executive Com.
mlttcc last August ordered a sympu.
thetic strike Of all the miners working
IN mines the ores Of which were Skinned
to the shelters. Tho result was the
closing down of the mines of Cripple
Creek and Telluride and the desperate
injury OF those who were treating their
men fairly.
The result is history. The miEe own
ers who have been used as n weapon to
bring the smelters to terms became nat.
urally enraged and united in an organ.
ization known rs the Mine Owners As.
ISOLATION, whose object was SELF protcc.
lion and the annihilation in Telluride
and Cripple Greek Of tho Western Fed.
GRAFTON Of Miners. Thcy rccited their
grievances at the hands OF this orriu;.
zhtion. They, unfortunately had plenty
tn %recitc, II long list -: tragic cpisojcs
including the battle in Telluride July 2
t9ol, the nssassinntinn o: Manager Col.
Inns in November, 1902, the violcnccs nt
Cripple Creek in 1891 and scores o. rs.
sassinations ,maimings ,bcatmgs and Other
crimes against superintendent, shift
bosses and non.union men, bcsidcs the
destruction Of Il vast amount Of prop.
crty and the flooding and destruction q,
mincP.
y third purity soon appeared in the
Held, namely the Citizens Alliance,
composed largely Of those who in tho
conflict were pinchcd by both sides.
namely the merchant, tho banker. the
bu"incss md professional man who Ind
established for himself a competency
only to find himself in the midst Of n
ruinous storm center ~ anarchy.
Commencing with the d~ynamitinv %,
the Sun and Neon min NJ Idaho
last fan there haa been, No the
result OF the defeat % the cight.bnur
law by the Colorado legislature, which
WINS The wrong i]ustigltcl by tho smclfcr !
people. mud the declaring ~ II gym.
pathetic strike agnina' the mine owncis.
winch was the wrong committed hy the
Federation " Miners. nm IN.