New-York tribune., 1907-12-08
GOLDFIELD.

@God6eld is amazed at the suddennesS WITH
(which troops have been called 1or anu uls
patched to the mining camp, says j teleSI"Ph'0
dispatch So is the rest Of the world, DuI lol
different reasons The dsordery miners ap-
pear dazed at what they choose 10 cali me
auiiaco1Is coup of the operators anu lhe
shameful promptness Of the government fe-
"sponse TO a few rich rascalS. Other people
however. are surprised at the speed and vigor OF
the men who are determined To prevent another
relapse into barbarism and looting- Before
long. too. we shall probably begin TO hear muir
murs about "higL-handed methods and I'M
nerialism." thinly yeneered, semi-political as
sauIts upon the authorities who called out me
troops. Such opportunity for pronlapie
Ivsteria will surely lot be missed.
Renorts from half civilized regions. where
guerrilla warfare has long been carried on inter
mittently are doubtless likely TO misrepresent
the situation in some measure But all the evil
dences about the cause and nature of the present
trouble at Goldfield are startlingly unanimous
in iustifving the action of the operators and
Governor Sparks AS for the Presidents re-
sponse TO the Governors appeal for federal pro-
lection. It needs no defence; the formal official
petition Of Mr.. Sparks, pursuant TO Article 4,
Section of the Constitution and Sections 5,29I
and 529S of the Revised Statutes left MI
Roosevelt no discretion. But did the Governor
act wisely in making this appeal? negative
answer is impossible TO any man who lets
the lessons of history influence his opinions.
Miners are rough lot, generally honest and
kindly among themselves, but not accustomed TO
count ten when angry nor TO observe any rigid
etiquette of warfare. Among them are many
criminals. as the history of American mining
has repeatedly shown: and these men are eager
10 nrecipitate a crisis for their own Sordd ends.
Finally the stealing Of large quantities OF
powder from the Booth mine, the thousand rifles
and shotguns in the hands of the members OF
the Western Federation of Miners and the
violent assaults upon a few citizens are all of
I'll omen. What they have preSaged in the past
they presage now: and an ounce of prevention
is still quoted higher than ton of lead cure
at Mustered through the warm muzzle of
machine gun.
Perhaps II is unfair TO say, with some mine
owners that the whole trouble has Ueen caused
hy William D. Haywood. secretary treasurer OF
the Western Federation Of Miners through
whose influence it is said. the miners refused to
accept checks on Goldfeld banks in part pay
ment of wages. If Mr.. Haywood urged his
union 10 insist upon an all gold payment, in
strict accordance with contract, he may have
been sincere enough and free from all malice,
but he demonstrated his eminent untitness 10 act
as labor leader whose advice is followed with
blind confidence by thousands of ignorant men.
What shall one think Of a man who, after hav-
ing read for full month in the newspapers and
magazines about the severe money stringency
and its disastrous countrywide effects, urges
an army of dumb followers not to do what
millions of other citizens We're doing for the
sake of the common veal?