The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-07-08


the report he is alleged to have replied
God help them If they come back
here"
Other train loads of men who re-
fused TO surrender their union cards
have been sent out of the state by Cen
eral Bell, who says he will not allow
"a member of the Western Federation to
remain in Colorado. Three mines en-
ployins union labor were closed by mil
itary order. The Portland is one Of the
largest producers in the district, its
annual output being in excess of $1,000
700. The policy of it's management had
been to employ both union and non un-
ion labor, always wedding out the least
efficient workers The 400 employees
We're orderly and thrifty, nearly all of
them American. many OF them oS-ling
their homes.
A file of soldiers marched to the
mine, closed it, and arrested all the
miners who belonged to the union.
Those who refused TO surrender their
union cards were evicted. few of them
being allowed to see their wives or
children or to arrange their business
affairs, or to get clothes or money.
The Cripple Camp is iull OF weeping
wives and Borrowing mothers. All the
horrors of ruthless war mas been laid
upon them. But the rage against the
union has gone even farther. After the
military assumed control Il force Of
masked men entered the office Of the
Victor Record, q reputable newspaper,
guilty only of having again criticised
the policy of General Bell. The en-
ployes We're forced at the muZzle of re-
volvers to stand in row against the
wall while marauders smashed the limo
type machine and the presses. pied the
forms, broke the typew.iters and
1 wrecked the office completely
Charged it to Unions
To divert the blame for such ruftian-
ism from themselves the partisans Of
Governor Peabody charged the crime
upon union symDathzers. The motive
alleged was that the Victor Record mad
urged that the union leaders call off
the strike. But when it was sought to
have the Veto. Record printed on the
presses OF the Cripple Creek Star until
new equipments could be secured. the
/ proprietor of the Star was warned that
II he extended favors to the Victor
Record his plant would be smash ed.
The warning did not come from the
unions.
The attempt by the law and order
/ clement to throw the blame on union
! men FOR the vandalism at the Record
office, was on par with the efforts
OF the officers of the Western FEEDER
ttlon 10 throw blame for the Nindica tor
and Independence horrors on employees
OF the mine owners association For
| the cHdlSe Dy lhe union men the mine
! owners had given some excuse They
I had in their employ some most dis
4 reputable so-called detectives. 1t was
shown in Il recent t:ial here that one
| or them planned the derailment of Il
! train carrying about three hundred peo-
/ pie, some of them soldiers. more of
them non-union miners. and about IA
score OF union miners. He lad pulled
/ the spikes that held the rails in place
= beside precipice and near Il high tres
| tie. He tried to fasten the crime on
| two union miners. Ci-cumstantial evi-
I dence was so strongly against him that
| ne confessed in open court. Yet at the
request or the mine operators the case
| against him was dismissed and he was
/ discharged from prison only IA few days
| before the explosion at Independence.
| Federation Still Strong.
/ Union men urge that people who
would plan the deraiment of a train
: carrying hundreds of persons in order
to excite hatred against strikers could
blow up a depot platform to gain the
| same end.
Viewed from any standpoint con
! dtions are deplorable, and the whole
sale deportations of strikers will not
end the trouble for long. The Western
/ Federation is Il powerful organization
with determined men. il not very wise
ones. at its head. The control of the
mines and the mills will not be yielded
without further struggle.
The contest, In the Judgment OF
thinking men, will soon become state
wide and will involve every union and
practically every employer of labor
The real leaders in the war on union
labor. they who advise Governor Pea
body are, John NJ. Waldron, attorney
for the Colorado Fuel and Iron Cox
pany. the $10O.000.OCO corporation csE
trolled b. Rockefeller anu Gou,c. And
Tyson s. Dimes, attorney for the CoIo-
RADIO Southern Railway Company. Dimes
hurried to Cripple Creek the day after
the Independence horror and outlined
the plan for the total destruction OF
union labor In the district. He brought
sufficient pressure to bear on every
employer Of labor whether In mine or
mill. saloon or restaurant, hotel or ! "
goods store to have them sign an agree
! mcnt to employ no one connected with
the Western Federation Of Labor.
Talk Of Iower Waaea.
1t is now talked freely that wages
must be lowered. Such talk ia not
above whisper In Cripple Creek or
Telluride, but 1t Is loud enough In Dem
YER. Pueblo and Colorado Springs.
Already the fight Is on with the
American Federation in the coal fields.
1t Is expected to share the fate of this
| Western Federation. The newspapers
friendly to Governor Peabody are now
| beginning to attack President Gompers
personally
The plan is to re elect Governor Pea
! body. That can be done. for he will
have the support of the democratic ma :
chine of Denver Governor Peabody
will then use the military to crush
| unionism anywhere the corporation
may desire. The war will extend to the
railroad and the factories first. Sue
cesful there the unions will be c..siiy
| crushed in minor positions.
| But two ways are open for a peace
| full solution of the trouble. One is the
| election of governor who will pre-
serve order but who Will not permit
the military to be used exclusively in
the interests of either the employers or
the enpoyes. Ten years ago Governor
Waite put the military at the disposal
of the unions and forced a settlement OF
the strike in Il manner almost as I'M
fair to the mine owners as Peabody
is now unfair to the unions. Frequent
| ly one hears: Waite was governor for
the unions, it Is only fair now that
we should have a governor who will
undo what Waite did"
United States Could Reir.
The other alternative for g ssIr set
tiement is to have the federal govern
| ment interfere by bringing the matter
i before the United States supreme court.
Good lawyers say that can be done !:
others say it cannot 1t is evident how
! ever that Governor Peabody's legal
advisers fear the results of such action.
:, On no other ground can be explained
! the incarceration of Frank J. Hangs in
/ General Bells bull pen" Hangs is at
/ torney for the union The best citizens
! here, those even who have taken an
1 active part in fighting the union, say
n I1.,