New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-12
MINERS GIVE THEIR SIDE.
Valoas Charges against the Osrners
No Blame attaches to Men.

Denver, June 1.-THE executive board OF the
Western Federation Of Miners to-day issued the
following statement regarding the situation in
Cripple Creek in reply to the statements made
10y General sherman NJ Bell and Secretary G Z
Hamln Of tie Cripple Creek District Mine
Owners Association:
The cause Of The strike of the Western Fedora
ton of Miners iu Colorado Is one OF long stance
Iug and involves the failure on the p2fl OF ilILe
managers in some parts Of the State 10 live up 10
their own written agreements, As far back as
1854 a result ot the strikes AZ that nm I'M -.
stute a DAYS work. that the minimum DAILY wac az,
nation against union men III the AIIlIs anu us
i5 outset 81 The present trouble Manager Ne
Neil 4 tL- Standard Mil Al COLORADO 1lIy, per
omptor!ly DISCHARGED lottysl ,f; me- No ,fbsr
reason than that they had become union men. Al
,-ears standing AIul men are affiliated with the
N OF The protection that goes with such memoe'-
TODAY the only questions involved are the en-
5orCement OF the elSht-lour cay 'le lEI- - -
10 organize in ihe unions and 10 prevent as
The responsibility for the lawlessness connected
with the contest rests entirely on me s9lIotiss
their allies, backed up b. tho ready power OF the
Tie events Of the present week in the Cripple
Creek district justify every accusation contained
above. The following crimes on cltzeNsAp nave
followed swiftly upon one another; ~, Taller
County, forced by mob at the point OF a pistol
and coil Of rope; the enforced TSssHaIioR Nor qt
n
ehal Of Victor, OF various aldermen and justices
Of peace the district; the entire official d.
rectory OF the city Of Gc!dheld; assault upon ana
demolition Of the union hall IN Victor; forcibe en-
into the four union cooperative stores ana
destruction OF the contents: destruction or me
Victor Record" by ar armed mob; the invasion u
Dunnville, outside The military lines, by an armed
force under military command; arrest OF men ~
their work and Incarceration within the IniltaTy
lines; hundreds OF men confined IN unsan!tary Guil-
pens; forcible shutdown oI The great Portland Mine.
employing union men, uy order Of the military
commandant, on the plea oe military necessity and
subsequent deportation OF The men therein en-
ployed.
Marked photographs Of miners referred TO by
General Bell, who, he claims. were marked Tor
death, must be regarded an invention 81 his
own brain. The photographs In question are those
Of strike breakers. and were kept FOR the purpose
OF publishing scab list, with the pictures Of the
men accompanying their description so that mem
bers OF organized labor all the country would
become thoroughly acquainted with these men who
have committed treason 10 themselves and 10 their
class. The pictures are nothing more than those
having charge OF the strike in the district have
publicly used FOR many months
Absolutely no deaths have occurred during the
contest for which the Western Federation Of Min
ers can or ought To be held responsible Some fif-
teen men were killed in the Strattou Independence
mine through the lncompetency Of the men en-
ployed and the culpaole negligence Of the manage
meuJ These men Were unfamiliar with tie work.
and we've such as this mine and other mines in
The district have been compelled 10 employ at the
behest ot the mine owners employment agency.