The Springfield herald., 1904-08-05

SIX WeekS DelOTe lHe huJoui hLHeht vi
the Legislature which then had under
consideration an eight-hour law, and at
time when every indication pointed
to the enactment thereof. The Stand
ard mill, at which the strike occurred
had an eight-hour plant for five years,
working the eight-hour day IN every de-
partment save one. and that one EN-
ploying but a small proportion of Its
men. In his testimony before the
governors commission, above referred
to. Mr.. Meyer, president of the feder'
alton, In response to the direct Ques'
complaint to make, as to the hours OF
labor. replied. None whatever
EIght-Hour Day For Ten Year,.
$50 far as the Cripple Creek district
is concerned. the mine workers have
worked maximum OF eight hours per
day for over ten years. and out OF
this time one-half hour is allowed for
luncheon, receiving the union scale OF
wages which is a minimum Of So and
an average of nearly 81 per day.
In response to the 6Rll for strike
in the Cripple Creek district some 1000
men discontinued work and every
mine except one was effectually
closed. The sheriff and nearly every
peace oflcer of the county were mem.
bers of the Western Federation OF
Miners and owed their positions to the
votes and influence OF, that organiza'
ton, Almost Immediately after the
calling OF the strike the mine owners
decided to open their mines as rapidly
as possible One property was opened
under heavy private guard. Early in
September however. an EFFORT was
made to bring about the general open.
ing of the mines of the district. AS
soon as this was done picketing and
intimidation and murderous assault
were resorted to.
II well know the history and char
acter of this organization. 1t is. in
fact, a matter of common knowledge
in Colorado that for ten years. this
federation has stopped at nothing to
accomplish its purpose-threats, intim-
idation, assaults, dynamite outrages,
murders, have everywhere character.
lied its policy. 1t has been the occa-
sion of more trouble and expense to
the state than all other causes COM
bined, including Indian raids. 1t has
never had strike that has not been
bloody The catalogue of its crimes
affrights humanity. In times of strike
its action has amounted to open insur
rection against the state. The leaders
of this organization have instilled into
the minds of Its membership the ne
cessity of arming themselves for the
purpose of resisting constituted au-
thorities.
'In his speech delivered in Salt Lake
City in 1897 Mr.. Boyce, since president
of the Western Federation of Miners
and the man who organized the Colo
rado branch of this organization,
said:
"I deem 1t important to direct your
attention to article of the constitu-
tional amendments of the United
States: The right of the people to
keep and bear arms shall not be i'll
fringed." This you should comply
with Immediately. Every union should
have rifle club. ] strongly advise
the latest improved rifle. which can be
obtained from the factory at nominal
prics. / entreat you to take action on
this important question. so that in two
years we can hear the inspiring music
of the martial tread of 25,O00 armed
men in the ranks of labor
This utterance is in line with ad-
vice repeated and reiterated by other
leaders of the organization.
Federation has a Bloody Record.
Nor have these words been sterile
of fruit. In every strike inaugurated
by this union in the state Of Colorado
has been the precedent set in Idaho, in
1892, when 1000 men armed themselves
with rifles. pillaged boldly from the
ct, tn cd IN
take life and destroy property by dyna-
miting the Bunker Hill and Sullivan
mill.
IN 1894 federation members armed
to the teeth, entrenched and picketed,
and with precise military organization
defiantly held prisoners for exchange
on Bull hill, in Cripple Creek.
I'm 1896 federation members killed
in open conflict on the streets of Lead
Vile citizens of Lake county, and did
those murders with rifles bought and
paid for by the local executive commit
tee of the federation.
''In San Miguel county, Vincent St
John. president of the. local union OF
the Western Federation, bought and
paid for $50 rifles, with which he
armed his federation followers, and
these guns were used in broad daylight
on non-u union miners at the Smuggler-
Union mine in one of the most inhu-
man and barbarous crimes ever COM
mitted in the name of any cause.
I'm Lake City. in.T898, against these
lawless men stole rifles from the state
armory. and were prepared to use
them to uphold their demands; and.
finally, out of the union hall at Victor
there surrendered on June 9Th of this
year. sixty-two members of the West
ern Federation of miners, bear1ng
among them thirty-five rifles, thirty
two revolvers and nine shotguns.
which were still hot with shots fired
at citizens and at the uniformed mill
tia of the state.
UnscrupuIous Men Head Federation.
This record convinced me that the
overt acts which had been committed
in Cripple Creek were but forerunners
of others. and that with the executive
officers of Teller county in direct col
lusion with this organization it would
be bit few days until reign Of ter
ror involving loss of life and property
would be established in that district
The federation is led and absolutely
controlled by INSCRIPTIONS men. Only
two of the executive committee are
residents of the state and none of the
committee has anything in common
with the states interests. The charac-
ter and history of this federation must