The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-04-23

outiIlldl M. Ben, III cOHlHldHu oI TIE
military forces at Telluride, in a signed
statement, announced that unless spe-
officially ordered to do so he would re-
fuse absolutely to comply with the or
der Of the state supreme court and pro-
duce the body of President Charles H.
Meyer of the Western Federation Of
Miners before that tribunal today, the
date named for the return to the writ
of habeas corpus secured by Mr.. Meyer.
Gen. Bell maintains that the military
authorities are supreme in San Miguel
county, and that neither the district nor
supreme court of the state can compel
him to obey their mandates.
Governor Peabody has not yet au-
nounced his position, but the belief pre-
walls that he will order General Bell to
bring President Meyer to Denver.
Should Governor Pea body refuse to
act, and he is not named one of the
respondents in the habeas corpus suit,
the supreme court, in order to infOrce
its dictates, could only have recourse to
the military authorities of the state,
ard as General Bell is in command of
all the state troops, he will refuse to
obey the courts order.
The supreme court might declare
General Bell in contempt, as did Judge
Stevens in the district court at Ouray,
and order his arrest, but it would be
powerrss to enforce it's wishes.
Thrilling Story Of Strike.
IN thrilling story Of the strike,
Mrs. Emma F. Langdon, who has just
published a book, relates the wrongs
done the miners.
Colorado is in a state of anarchy as
Il result of the attempt to force upon
its people an armed despotism. On the
side OF law and order are the courts of
he state without exception, so far as
they have been involved the entire
body of organized labor, a great ma
jorty Of the inhabitants of the state,
without regard to capital and labor,
and nearly all of the newspapers.
On the other hand are. an irresponsi-
bic, unncorporuted body known as the
Mine Owners Association: James H.
Peabody, governor of the state and
elected by the money of the mine own
ers and the militia of Colorado, act
Ing under his orders as sacQmmande der
in-chef. > 3 w.:
While the legislature was in session
it too stood in open defiance Of the
Will of the people as expressed at the
p,lls, and the only reason alleged Or
believed for its failure to do it's duty is
the illegal use of money by mine own
crS
Mine Owners Object Is an Illegal One.
The object IF the Mine Owners Asso-
citation, as expressed through it's tools
Governor Pea body, the militia, which is
in it's pay in part if not wholly, and the
legislature, also under pay by the mine
uWners-s an illegal one in it's ncep-
tion and execution, being the disrup-
tion of organized labor and the denial
to the operativs in Colorado mines of
their constitutional rights to combine
for proper purposes, to meet and as
semble for the discussion of their griev-
snces and to secure the rights of Amer
lean citizenship as guaranteed by the
constitution of the United States and of
Colorado.
The combination of mine owners,
governor and militia is now, and for
moro than year has been, acting in
open violation of the laws of the state,
especially with that constitutional pro-
vision which prescribes that the mill
tary authority of colorado shall always
be subordinate to the civil power.
Colorado Courts Cali 1t Anarchy.
This anarchical tendency is proved by
the attitude Of the Colorado courts
whenever they have been called upon
to decide between the people of the
state and this illegal body in armed re-
volt by the repeated refusal of the
mine owners, Peabody and his militia
to obey the rulings Of the courts, and
by their repeated dismissal of cases to
prevent an appeal to the supreme court
Of Colorado.
Those good. easy people Of the rest of
the United States, who roll up their
eyes and speak softly when it is sug-
gested that there is danger of mill
tary despotism in the United States,
are not asked to view a theory, but a
condition actually existing in Colorado
at this mrment.
Newspapers have been suppressed
courts have been forced to submit to the
presence of militiamen fully armed and
with loaded rifles when cases against
military officers were on trial, men,
women and children have been arrested
without warrent of law and imprisoned
under barberous conditions for months
at a time, conspiraceies have been en-
tered into to deprive law-abiding citi-
zens of their liberties through perjured
testimony, the DEGREES of lawfully con-
| etituted courts have been Knocked at
! and disobeyed, citizens released by the
military through habeas corpus writs
/ have been Immediately rearrested in
| open defiance of the courts, newspaper
| employees have been taken from their
! lawful occupations at night without
! any charge being made against then,
and imprisoned in attempts to choke
1 the press, news has been deliberately
| falsided for the misinformation of the
| outside world and an elaborate system
of censoring adopted, peaceful citizens
have been exiled from their homes at
the point Of the bayonet-in short, a
condition of affairs actually prevails at
this moment in Colorado which would
be intolerable in Rnssia or Turkey sz5
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