Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-08-04

work and had resolved that others
should not II by such methods as
those employed at the Independence
station they could be driven or fright.
ened away
''lt became apparent that even with
every member OF the national guard
IN that county IL would be impossible
to prevent the use OF dynamite in the
stealthy manner always employed by
he federation The mountains and
gulches of that rugged country afford
multitude of safe places for recon.
hotter and hiding, The troops which
lad already been there a greater part
of the year. could not be maintained
Indefinitely without mourning add.
tional expense. The only safe and
available remedy seemed to be to
disperse the radical members. II ali
Of them had not personally partici.
pated in the ouirages they had al
least stood approyingly by and given
heir support, ENCOURAGEMENT and PRO
lection.
III these men were scattered. the
lyenues which ten years OF organlza.
ion and association had opened for
rime in that district would be closed
Il would require much time in any
Tther community before they could
gather about them new band of con.
ipirators with the inclination and dar
ne to inaugurate in new field an
Ither condition OF terrorism. These
"a l haua h.I
nevcr to yield the strike The mine
Iwncrs had resolved not to employ
gain the members of that OrgnulZa
ion. Therefore the only employment
which remained for them was that oi
tirring up strite-committlnG dcprc
.aiions and intimidating by nhuman
.rimes the working miners.
u resolved that they should he dis
icrscd, and | dispersed them. This
vas done. however, only after carefu
Investigation of each individual case.
Il hope and believe that these men
20 sent from the district Will. when
-ele1sed from the evil influences of a
'riminal leadership return to lawful
wing and resolve that a recognition
II the rights which The law confers IL
he proper guide for conduct.
No Attempt Has Been Made to op
press Labor.
From what | have said and from
what is within The knowledge of ey.
'ry citizen of the state it viii be seen
hat disturbances have been limited
the mining ana its allied Industries
IT has been charged repeatedly that
he militia has been placed at til,
disposal of the mine owners to oppose
ahor The injustice of the charge is
apparent, but 1t will doubtless con.
inue to be made The militia was
'mployed to restore order and to pro.
Get labor and prosperity in the rights
% which each is entitled under the
NV. The militia opposed the wishes
nd purposes of the federation be.
ause that organization was attempt
ing to prevent by violence the opera
ion of mines and mills. II is again
'hargcd that ! have been engaged in
war upon unions generally. ant
strenuous and repeated efforts are
being made to play upon the passions
Jf union men. | do not believe The
efforts Will be successful. | do not
believe the conservative union men ol
the state will feel called upon to
adopt the policy of the leaders of the
federation. nor can believe they will
sanction it. | believe they Will be
able to discriminate between their
own unions and principles and meth
DDS OF the federation. In the ten
years of its existence the Western
Federation of Miners has involved the
state in a cash outlay for the militia
If more than s2,0OO.000.
Il propose in the future, as in the
past, to see to it that the laws are
faithfully executed and in the ac
complishmcnt of hat purpose | shall
not inquire whether the individual en-
tltled TO projection is, or is not. a
member of any labor organization. Nc
one can appreciate more than |, moi
only the right and wisdom OF laborinp
men to join together for the purpose
of lettering their wages and WORKING
conditions, and no one can believe
'i''i' il'h' NY N''H III a ihll NhB'
and reasonable hours. II will be q
matter of great regret to me If tho
lnboring men of this state fail to sec
that | am fighting their battle. for
sincerely believe that organized labor
has no more dangerous enemy than
the Western Federation of Miners
which is seeking under the cloak oi
organized labor to protect itself alike
in the PRONUNCIATION of its dishonest
soclalistic theories, which recognize.
no rights TO private property, and from
the result Of It's anarchlstic tcnets
| and tendencies. Legitimate labor or
ganizatiOns of necessity suffer from
the criminal aggressions of the fed
Grafton. Its claim to the character Of
labor organization is It's only tin,
TO respectability | believe that NJ
| greater good can be conferred upor
the cause of union labor, striving tt
| better the condition of It's members
| than that the members of such legiti
mate labor unions condemn the meth
DDS of the federation.
Those who are charged with tn,
| duty of seeing that the lives and tn,
property of citizens are respected
have difficult and perplexing prob