The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12
|EXILED MINERS, HUNGRY AND WEARY,
CAMP ON THE COLORADO BORDER
Western Federation Issues
Statement Regarding the
Situation.
Accuses Mine Owners Of
Continued Breaking of
Agreements.

DENVER, June 1.-THE executive
board OF the Western Federation of
Miners to-day issued a statement re-
garding the situation in Cripple Creek
in reply to the statements made by
General Sherman M. Bell and Secre-
tary c. c. Hamlin of the Cripple Creek
District Mine Owners Association. It
is in part as follows:
1.-The cause of the strike of the West
ern Federation of Miners in Colorado
is one oflong standing and involves the
failure on the part Of mine managers
in various parts of the State to live up
to their own written agreements. AS
far back as 1884, as result Of the
strike at that time, the mine owners
agreed that eight hours should consti-
tute a days work, that the minimum
daily wage should be SO and that there
should be no discrimination against un-
ion men in the hiring and discharge of
labor. At the outset of the present
trouble Manager McNeill of the Stand
ard mill, at Colorado City, peremptor-
! lily discharged forty-fve men, members
of the Western Federation of Miners.
for no other reason than that they had
old employees OF from two to six years
standing. Millmen are affiliated with
the Western Federation of Miners and
are entitled to all of the protection that
goes with such membership.
QUESTIONS AT ISSUE.
To-day the only questions involved
are the enforcement of the eight-hour
day and the right of men to organize
into unions and to prevent discrimina-
ton against union men of all kinds.
THE responsibility for the lawless-
ness connected with the contest rests
entirely on the shoulders Of the mine
operators, the Citizens Alliance and
their allies. backed up by the ready
power Of the State government. The
responsibility has been placed on these
persons and organizations by District
Judge Theron Stevens, who denounced
the military usurpation in Telluride in
strong language from the bench; by
District Judge ]. Walter Dickson, Re-
publican, who openly condemns Gov
ernor Peabody and severely criticizes
his acts involving the deportation Of
men from the State without trial or
other chance of hearing; by ex-Gov-
| ..
points to the Mine Owners Association
and the Citizens Alliance as being re-
sponsible for the many outrages COM
mitted on the persons Of helpless and
innocent miners; by the recent Demo-
cratic State Convention, which de-
nounced in scathing terms the line Of
policy pursued.
LIST OF GRIEVANCES.
1.-The events OF the present week in
the Cripple Greek district justify every
accusation contained above. The fol-
| lowing crimes upon citizenship have
followed swiftly upon one another:
1.-The resignation of Sheriff Robert
son of Teller County forced by a mob
at the point of a pistol and coil of
rope; the forced resignation of Cor
oner Doran of Teller County, of the
City Marshal of Victor, of various
| Aldermen and Justices of the Peace in
the district, and the entire official di-
rectory of the city of Goldheld; the
assault upon and demolition of the
Union Hall in Victor, forcible entrance
into four union cooperative stores and
destruction of the contents, destruc-
ton of the Victor Daily Record by an
|
side the military lines, by an armed
force under military command; the
arrest of men at their work and in
carceration within the military lines;
hundreds of men confined in unsani-
tary bullpens, forcible shutdown of
the great Portland mine, employing
union men, by order of the military
commandant on the plea of military
necessity, and the subsequent deporta-
ton of the men therein employed.
NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CRIME.
Absolutely no death has ever oc-
Cured during the contest for which
the Western Federation of Miners can
or ought to be held responsible.
1--WE are unfortunately forced to
abide by the acts of an unbridled mill
tary despotism that is driving our
members from pillar to post. Their
fortitude under the circumstances is
the marvel of the/age and shows the
! Western Federation of Miners is COM
posed of the highest type of American
citizenship.
| Our attitude is fully expressed by
the following telegram:
| Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, Presi-
dent of the United States, Wash
| ington, d. c.: A duty devolves
upon you as President of the
United States to investigate the
terrible crimes that are being perpe-
4 trated in Colorado in the name Of law
and order. We will render every pos
sible assistance to the proper authori-
ties in such investigation, to the end
that the people of the country may
realize the outrages that are being in
ficted on innocent persons by those
In temporary official power.
" w. D. Haywood, Secretary.