Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-08-29

must be pushed to the wall without
| any manner or doubt 1t means another
crusade OF crime in behalf of the fed
eration-murders, beatings. dynamir-
ing. threats. terrorism. and on the
part OF the mine owners and citizens.
another long aud wretched campaign
of repression by methods which can
be justified only on the ground of su-
preme necessity and the law of self
preservation.
| The plans OF Meyer and Haywood
are well known to the mine owners.
| The astute and implacable leaders OF
the federation intend to reassert them
selves In the mining district, first by
| means of secret colonization, and af.
| terward by organization and strikes
| The hrst part of their program means
that they are even now quietly send
ing men into the camp to get EN-
pioyment as nonunionists. To do this
| they must take out cards from the
| Mine Owners Association declaring
that they are not members of the fed.
GRAFTON. But this would not stand in
the way. or the nearly $500 former
| federationists who have taken out
these cards and returned to work.
percentage-how large no one knows
are not sincere in their renuncia.
tion OF the union. They are only "ly-
Ing low" and waiting for turn II ,s
believed majority, probably a great
majority of the men are sincere and
hope they have seen the last of the
federation and its trouble making for
some time. But that there is already
in the district considerable faction
which works secretly to restore the
organization to power there can be no
doubt
These men are aided and encourage
ed by number OF politicians, men of
lair standing in the community, purely
for political reasons. 1t is easy to un.
derstand why. II n fair majority of
the miners can be induced to vote
certain ticket the men on that ticket
and behind 1t are pretty sure 20 oh
tain control of the local machinery of
government. county and municipal
The leading men of the Mine Own
ers Association and of the Citizens
Alliance have sworn that they will not
permit the federation to obtain a foot. |
hold In the district as long as II is |
dominated by the men who now con.
troll Its AFFAIRS. They were asleep for |
long time before the recent war
broke upon them with all Its fury. and
they do not intend to be caught nap
ping second time They make no
secret OF their intention to run out of
the district every man who openly or
covertly agitates In favor OF a return
OF the federation. whether he be n
miner, labor leader. politician or law.
yer. This explains the recent depor-
tations OF business men, lawyers. pol
iticians and mine workers at the hands
of mob organized and lead by lead
Ing citizens.
1t is the purpose OF the mine owners
to kill OF at its inception any effort
of their foes to re-establish them
selves. They argue that 1t Is more
humane to nip the conspiracy in the
bud, to suppress agitation before It
has had time to do any harm, than It
is to wait till 1t has acquired sufii-
cient strength to plunge the whole
community into the throes of another
civil war. The citizens of Cripple
Creek and Victor, mine owners and
business men. now have the upper
hand, and II is their intention to keep
simply he run out"
If there is any Justification for this
new form Of vigilante committee op.
GRAFTON 1t must be found In the old
| rule that THE burnt child breads the
fire." There Is little room for doubt
that mine owners and citizens are
right in one thing. and that is In their
assumption that II they permit the
| federation to gather strength enough
to make another fight the district will
be once more bathed In blood. II
Meyer and Haywood succeed in their
plan to 'colonize" the camp and regain
influence over the miners or a consid-
cradle part OF them, the next thing
will be strike. and with the strike
will come dynamiting. Dynamite is
the everready weapon OF the more
| desperate OF these mining camp labor
| agitators They take to dynamite as
naturally as their like In other regions
| throw stones or brickbats.
1t must also be remembered that
at Cripple Creek It Is not as 1t is in
! Chicago or New York or any other
| large city. There is no big police
force to cope with any trouble that
may arise. Nearly every man in the
| district who works with his hands is
| employed in or about the mines. There
is no other class Of workers of much
Importance. Everything In the region
is mining When there is a war be-
| tween the owners and the men the