The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-06-10
CRIPPLE CREEK OUTRAGE.

President Williams OF the Western
Federation of Miners from accusing
the Citizens alliance of Cripple Creek
of being responsible for the coward
ly and dastardly crime committed
there a few days ago by which more
than a score of men were murdered
in the most a%trocious and inhuman
manner. But his asseveration OF
guilt on the part OF the alliance has
lief and the public will be slow in
accepting it as true.
As manifestly unfair as it was in.
that gentleman to make the charge
he did, equally unfair would it be to
charge the organization OF which he
is the head with being responsible
for the horror. This, however, does
not change the fact that his organiza-
ton will be the one to suffer most
because of the commission Of the
crime he is so free to lay at the door
aof a body antagonistic to his own.
Because the men who were the vic
Tins of assassination so horrible as
~ ~ .o l>o,,~-J I,,r,o, o~.1o,,
tion were non-unionists who were
filling the places of union men on
strike, those who feel unfriendly to
his association will be quick to say
that none but union men would have
any motive in conspiring for their
destruction and consequently the
union will be the body that will have
to rest under the odium that attaches
to the occurrence.
Much as any person or newspaper
might be reluctant to believe that
as a body the union plotted for the
murder of the men who lost their
lives, yet the fact remains that little
doubt exists as to where the guilt
really lies in the case of the individ-
uals who conceived and executed the
hellish act. Men like them find their
way into all bodies and by their acts
bring discredit and humiliation upon
their associates. The act of a posi-.
BILE few lawless ones has brought
condemnation upon the entire body of
their %afiliation. That this fact is
realized and appreciated by the union
is made plain by the prompt manner
in which the main body and those
subsidiary to it have repudiated it
n by the offer of services to the
authorities in bringing the guilty ones
to punishment. But to absolutely
free themselves OF suspicion and re.
gain the confidence and respect Of
the public they will have to do more
than adopt resolutions of condemna
ton. By every act and deed within
their power must they give aid tc
the law, both in accomplishing the
arrest of the savages and seeing thai
justice is not foiled when they are
brought to trial. Only IN this man
ner may they hope to convince the
nation that they are in earnest ant
not in sympathy with murder and as
s~assination, whether they be commit
ted by "scab" or %unionist. This i!
a duty they owe not only to them
selves, but to the people, withou
whose sympathy and good will the,
cannot hope to win any struggle il
which they may become involved.
1t is unfortunate for the miners
but it is history that about all of tn
strikes OF any magnitude in whic
they have engaged in the west hav
been marked by just such deeds a
that at Cripple Creek. In the Coeu
d'Alenes, in different parts of Colt
RADIO and elsewhere dynamite ha
played fearful parts, and whethe
justly or not, as an organized bod
they have been blamed. In view c
their past experience it. would seel
that they would exert themselves i
the nresant instance to the very linn.