Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-08-22
WALTER WELLMAN's
ARRAiGNMENT

Some weeks ago Walter Wellman.
the world-famed correspondent of the
Chicago Record-Herald, the New York
Herald and the Philadelphia Press.
visited Colorado. The Denver papers
News, Times, Post and Republican
gave Mr.. Wellman special credit for
being probably the most reliable writ.
er on the staG OF any paper. Mr.. Well
mans aim has been reliability, and in
politics and other affairs has written
as he found conditions-without bias
and the papers mentioned, although
differing politically. give Mr.. Well
mans letters prominent space. The
Correspondent visited the Cripple
Creek district, and the past week the
papers above have been publishing a
daily letter from Mr.. Wellman. The
first letter dealt exclusively with the
great gold camp and its Importance.
then came review of the crimes com
mitted. including the blowing up OF
the Independence depot, two columns
10 complete statement of the union
side by Mr.. Haywood, a review OF
Peabody and Sherman Bell. at times
not complimentary, and final wind.
up letter occupying several columns
in which Mr. Wellman draws conclus-
ions that must set thinking people
unionists-throughou the country to
thinking. The circulation of the com
bined papers is something like one
million. with possible ten million read
ers. HIS letters have been copied, and
with the facts disseminated there can
not help but be decided change in
eastern sentiment, although 1t is
quite certain that eastern sentiment
has been with the law and order ele
ment. Mr.. Wellman charges Presi-
dent Meyer and Secretary Haywood
with responsibility for the outrages
committed in the Cripple Creek and
San Miguel districts, and offers to
prove his charges before any unpreju.
diced jury composed of union men.
Further, Mr.. Wellman challenges the
above men to submit to an inspection
of the books and expenditures of the
organization. In another part of this
paper we give the concluding para.
graphs of Mr.. Welmans last letter.
1t should be carefully read and digest
ed by every thinking man and woman
The Herald. believes that if the peo-
pie of La Plata county had gone
through the same experience as those
of Telluride and Cripple Creek they
would not criticse the harsh means
adopted to establish law and order in
those camps. The Herald honestly
believes that the sending of troops
to Cripple Creek the last time saved
a Wholesale lynching. 1t was the
troops that prevented the outraged
citizens of Cripple Creek district from
taking the law into their own hands.
Meyer, Haywood, ct al started in to
run things, and under Thomas and
Orman were succeeding to their per-
feet satisfaction. But with governor
In the chair who would not stand their
work they ran against snag. If the
voters of Colorado should repudiate
Peabody this fall it means an endorse
ment of the Meyer Haywood reign
and industrial turmoil for years to
come. Instead of Peabody being re-
spOnsible for the war debt it is di-
rectly chargeable to Meyer and Hay.
wood, backed by their organization
They contribute but little in way of
taxes, and what they do is donated by
hard-working miners When they
travel they ride in Pullman cars and
partake of the best the dining cars
AFFORD. The man underground pays
the bills. Laboring men are being ca
joled to give up 81 month through
out the state at the present time for
political purposes? Who will receive
the benefit? Not the laboring man
The leaders, agitators and heelers will
feast at the counter They will have
the money. AS Mr.. Welman says,
large majority of se rank and file
of the Western Federation are hon
est members. but they delegated pow
er to inscriptions men and inno-
cent ones have suffered. Men who
toiS-should be accorded every possible
prvilege-privilege and wages that
some corporations do not concede, but
MoyerHaywood tactics will not help
chem secure what they are striving
for. In fact, unionism is receiving
setback through such men, and 1t is
time men who toll opened their eyes.