Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-08-12
pEABODY'S EXCUSES.
COLORADO GOVERNOR IS
CONFIDENT OF VIRTUE
SAYS COURTS SUPPORTED HIS
MILITARY RULE-sToRY OF
WHY HE DECLARED
WAR.

Denver. Col, July 20. Governor
James n. Peabody today issued an ad.
dress explaining and vindicating his
acts In dealing with the labor troubles
In Colorado. He refuses the conten.
ton that the strike inaugurated by the
Western Federation of Miners at the
ore reduction works In Colorado City
wascalled because OF the failure of
the Legislature to enact an eight-hour
law. pointing out that 1t was called on
the 14th Of February some Ave or six
weeks before the adjournment of the
Legislature. which then had under con.
sideration an eight-hour law. Later
sympathetic strike was declared by
the Federation in Cripple Creek to
cut OF the ore supply OF tho mills.
Governor Peabody then goes into
the history of the Western Federation
OF Miners. which he declares has been
replete with assaults, dynamite out
RACES and murders. In affording pro-
lection to men who desired to labor,
the Governor explains, ut became
necessary. in my judgment, to confine
certain men In military guard houses,
as one OF the safest and most expedi-
tious methods Of restoring order. II
was loudly proclaimed that this was
without authority of law. The qucs-
tion was submitted to the Supreme
Court and the action of the militia In
that respect fully sustained. II is a
| useful and necessary power, and the
class that should dread It's exercise Is
not numerous.
The general policy pursued In Grip
pie Creek was followed In other parts
of the State, and particularly In Tel
luride, where the excuses and crimes
of the Federation had been still more
inhuman than In any other district and
the reign of terror still more COM
plete. Order now prevails there"
Quiet had been restored in Cripple
| Creek and the troops withdrawn when
the dynamite outrage was committed
at the Independence depot, June 9Th,
followed by the riot at Victor. The
Governor has placed the responsibility
for both these occurrences on the fed
Grafton.
| "When the excitement had some
what subsidized and the county was still
under quasi.military rule" the Gov.
ernor continues, 1T was found that
there were several hundred members
of the Western Federation In the dis.
trict yet who would not work and had
resolved that others should not II, by
such methods as those employed at
the Independence station. they could
be driven away. resolved that they
should be dispersed, and dispersed
them"
Governor Peabody denies the charge
that he Is waging war on labor unions
generally. and closes as follows: 81
have had to deal with an organization
which has no counterpart in this
country. Its official proclamations
full OF defiance and challenge. issued
from time to time, have amounted, as
has been said, to a declaration Of
war
T have met the challenge with a
policy none too vigorous for the out
lawry was called to oppose. But
through II all I have had but one OBJ
ject, and that to show the people Of
Colorado that the laws will be upheld
that n criminal organization cannot
dictate the policy OF this administra
ton, and that everywhere within the
borders Of Colorado property shall bt
secure and labor shall be free"