The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1904-06-16
A MINERS PLEA
IN DEFENSE OF THE STRIKERS
Statement issued by Secretary Hay
wood In Behalf Of the Western
Federation Of Miners.

present strike In Colorado. The execu-
tive board OF the Western Federation
was requested to prepare a statement
OF their side OF the trouble by an East
| ern news service which supplies tele-
graphic matter to more than 200 East
ern newspapers.
The statement follows in full:
The cause OF the strike Of the West
ern Federation OF Miners in Colorado
is one OF long standing and involves
the failure on the part of the mine
managers in various parts OF the state
| to live up to their own written agree
ments. As far back as 1894. as a re
suit OF the strike at that time. the
mine owners agreed that eight hours
should constitute u days work; that
the minimum daily wage should be
$500 and that there should be no dis
elimination against union men in the
hiring and discharge OF labor. At the
outset OF the present trouble Manager
MacNeill of the Standard mill at Colo
RADIO City peremptorily discharged for
ty-five men, members Of the Western
Federation of Miners. for no other rea-
son than that they had. become union
men. All of these were old employees
OF from two to six years standing.
MIllmen are affiliated with the
Western Federation OF Miners and
are entitled to all of the protection
that goes with such membership.
To-day the only questions involved
are the enforcement of the eight-hour
day, the right OF men to organize in
the unions and TO prevent discrimina-
ton against union men of all kinds.
The responsibility for the lawless-
ness connected with the contest rests
entirely on the shoulders OF the mine
operators. the Citizens alliance and
their allies. backed up by the assumed
military power OF the state govern
ment Tba responsibility has been
placed on these persons and organiza-
tons by District Judge Theron Stew
ems, who denounced the military usur-
patton in Telluride in strong language
from the bench: by District Judge N.
Walter Dixon, Republican. who openly
condemns Gov. Peabody and severely
criticises his acts involving the depor-
tation of men from the state without
trial or other chance OF hearing; by
Ex-Governor Charles S. Thomas. who
plainly points to the Mine Owners AS
ISOLATION and Citizens Alliance as be-
ing responsible for the many out
RACES committed on the persons of
helpless and innocent miners; by the
recent Democratic state convention,
line OF policy pursued.
The events of the present week in
the Cripple Creek district justly every
accusation contained above. The fol-
lowing crimes upon citizenship have
followed swiftly upon one another:
The resignation of Sheriff Robertson
OF Teller county, forced by mob at
the point OF the pistol, and the coil of
/ the rope; the forced resignation of
Coroner Doran of Teller County; OF
the city marshal OF Victor; OF various
aldermen and justices of the peace in
the district: the entire official direc-
tory of the city of Goldheld; assault
upon and demolition of the union hall
in Victor; forcible entrance into the
four union cooperative stores and de-
struction of the contents. destruction
of the Victor Daily Record by an armed
mob: Invasion OF Dunnville, outside
the military lines, by armed force
under military command; arrest of
men at their work and incarceration
within the military lines: hundreds of
men confined in unsanitary bull-pens;
forcible shutdown of the great Port
land mine. employing union men, by
order of the military commandment on
| the plea of military necessity and sub.
seQuent deportation of men therein
employed.
/ Concerning the explosion which
wrecked the depot at Independence
and killed sixteen unfortunate non
| union miners, 1t need only be said that
| the self-confessed train wrecker, Nc
Kinney. In the employ of the Mine
Owners Association, had few days
! previously been released from custody
/ at the behest of the attorney for the
/ nd hat
| Kinney was observed going down
Potts canon in the immediate vicinity
of the wreckage only short time after
the disaster. Mckinney stated under
! cross-examination during the trial of
I the union miners who were accused of
the attempted trainwrecking, that he
and other detectives did. that for a
money consideration he would pull
| spikes and wreck a train. Blood
| hounds used to follow the trail of the
criminal went directly to house occu-
pied by a detective in the employ of
the Mine Owners association and we're
promptly called OF.
Photographs of marked miners re-
ferred to by General Bell who. he
claims. were marked for death, must be
regarded as an invention OF his own
brain. The photographs in question are
those of strike breakers and were kept
for the purpose of publishing a "scab'
list with the pictures OF the men ac-
companying their description, so that
members OF organized labor all over
the country would become thoroughly
acquainted with these men who have
committed treason to themselves and
to their class. These pictures are
nothing more than those having charge
OF the strike in the district have pub
licly used for many months.
Charges that miners are not allowed
to vote ON questions Of strike are ut
terly absurd. AS a Watter of fact. ac-
oording to the constitution of the West
ern Federation of Miners. 1t is abso-