Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-10-31

be required 10 pay about forty-One
cents per year additional taxes to take
care of this debt. II your taxes now
are more or less. fKare II in the same
proportion. and say for yourself
whether you are willing to bear this
burden" in view of the principle in
volved and the results accomplish
ed
The Governors prompt action in
using the troops TO prevent violence
and restore order meets the approval
of every thoughtful citizen No amount
of misrepresentation can conceal the
fact that the presence of troops in
Cripple Creek. Trinidad and Tellu-
ride was absolutely necessary II bus
mess was to be carried on and wanton
vented.
We need not recall the appalling
record of crime and violence which
proceeded the sending OF troops to
these places NJ man can look it up
without standing agast at its magni-
tude and atrocity.
The Cripple Creek strike. which
brought on these conditions, has been
publicly said. by Ex-Governor Thomas
10 be the most senseless and useless
strike ever inaugurated. One careful
investigator (Walter Wellman). who
came there disposed in favor of the
union. says: There were no griev-
ances at the mines. Every man there
was content with his work No de-
mands were made on the mine owner;
there were none to be made. They
er hours. recognize the union or do
anything else" The only grievance
was that the mine owners insisted
upon the right TO DISPOSE OF
THEIR PRODUCT to persons to
whom it had long before been con
tracted.
The effect of these strikes was to
paralize industry in the community
affected. and to injure and depress
the whole state. Contrast Telluride to-
day with the same city before the
Western Federation obtained its IA
tai hold upon its industries Compare
it with Silverton. where the miners
have lived up to their contracts with
he mine owners and have refused to
strike at the command of Meyer and
Haywood and You have striking
example of the effect of the lawless-
ness which Governor Peabody has
succeeded in restraining Already
Cripple Creek has recovered and the
production of her mines during the
month Of September exceeded $4,000
10000, and under the continuation of
Governor Peabody's policy Telluride
will soon assume her normal place and
afford her usual market for our own
products.
But what If Governor Peabody's
poIcy is reversed? What assurance
have we that other strikes as Sense
less and as useless" as the
Cripple Creek strike will not be call
ed? And what assurance have we
hat we will not ourselves be directly
affected. and that our neighboring
mines and our local smelter will not
be closed. and all our markets des-
troyed? Is there no danger that the
mine and smelter owners would pre-
fer to suspend operations rather than
incur the expense and danger to life
and property by attempting to con
iinue without assurance of protection.
And is it not certain that capital both
foreign and local will be deferred
from investing in new enterprises
without the assurance that exactly the
policy pursued by Governor Peabody
will be hereafter maintained.
The outlook for Durango and La
Plata county is at present most prom
lsing. With the installation of the
power plant at the expenditure of over
a million dollars; with the building
Of southern railroad, one or more
of which seems practically assured; !;
and with the numerous other import
ant enterprises now under considera-
iion and only depending on the re
suit of this election, we would have
an era OF unexampled prosperity
But can we reasonably expect any
of these things to be carried to COM
pleeion and vast sums to be in
vested in enterprises. which depend
almost entirely upon the operation
and prosperity of the great mining
and smelling industry around us, II
it be understood that the policy of
Governor Peabody is to be reversed
lawlessness Is to go unchecked and
life and property rendered unsafe :?
How can we best assure continua-
tion of the policy of protection to
capital and untrammeled labor which
Governor Peabody has pursued?
Leaving out of question the per-
sonalty of the candidates for govern
or which of them is 1t most reasonable
to expect to follow out the policy
which has restored business and order
to olrr state? Would you select the
man who has inaugurated and main
tanned that policy, who stands upon
his record and announces his deter
mination to continue II, or the man
who. whatever his standing. takes the
stump and denounces and attacks
that policy, and who Is supported in
his canvass by the efforts and with
the funds Of Meyer and Haywood?
Governor Peabody has done the