Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-02-18
WAR
THAT HAS COST LIFE AND TREAS.
URE IN COLORADO.
Struggle Between Labor and Capital Which Has
Cost 5000. 900 in Money and 81 Lives.
and Been the Cause Of Many Crimss-War
Between Capital and Organized Labor.

In the grim tenacity Ut purpose, in the
methods employed. in the number en-.
listed on both sides in proportion to the
population OF the State, and in the APP
palling cost, both in life and property.
the industrial war now going on in Col
orado is one of the most far reaching ev-
er recorded in the labor history of the
world.
Thirty.fve thousand workmen lille on
an average OF five months each; 4,000,-
600 working days lost; $4,000, 900 "a
low estimate-as wage loss $50, 600, 900
conservative estimate-loss from direct
damage and non-production $500, 900
cost Of National Guard ordered to three
different parts Of the State within nine
months for the protection Of life and
property. A total toss-at the most con-
sentative estimate-of $50,000,000. And
this in state where the total assessed
valuation is less than $15O, 100000.
This is the stupendous cost to Colorado
OF the labor troubles of the year 1908.
Sixteen strikes. That is the years rec
ord. Sixteen strikes affecting from 300
to 81 900 men each and lasting from ten
days to ten months each.
The results: A declaration OF war be.
tween capital and organized labor as rep
resented in the State; the increase Of the
National Guard from $50 men, in March,
1913, to 5000 men fully armed and
equipped; courts and civil writs super
seeded in the mining districts and martial
law declared the suspension OF the writ
OF habeas corpus and the enforcement Of
the "vag" law in the mining camps and
the subsequent deportation Of all men
who refused to work. And, with all OF
this. the $4,000 miners in the metallifer.
GUS and coal camps. are still out, and
threaten to stay out for months to come,
although their places are gradually being
filled with imported on-uniou men.
1t has passed the point where one can
refer to it as an industrial upheaval."
1t has become a social rebellion-a re.
bellion against every recognized stand
ard OF business as it exists today-a re.
bellion brought about by the determine
ton of organized labor to reign supreme
in Colorado.
To get at the real beginning Of this
trouble, you have to go back just three
years. In 1901, the State Legislature, at
the insstent demand of the labor un
ions, passed an eight-hour law, applica
BILE to all classes OF labor in the State.
few months later, the Supreme Court de-
clared it unconstitutional the behes
Of the mine owners, so the labor leaders
declared. But whatever the cause, thai
started the fight. Labor in Colorado or
ganized for an eight-hour law. They
went into politics and united with the
Democratic party, and at the succeeding
session the eight.hour law failed to pass
Then the unions took the matter into
their own hand. They formally espous
ed the cause OF Socialism-in June, 100;
ard supported the Socialistic platform
at the next election. They failed to wiz
at the polls, and then came the threat
ened deluge of strikes, with a war cry
"We'll fight until we force an eight-hou
agreement over the State. "-Collier'
Weekly.