Omaha daily bee., 1907-12-29
President Answers Request that
Troops Stay in Goldfeld.
CALL OF LEGISLATURE ADVISED
Soldiers Cannot Remain Indefinitely
Without It's Request.
LAW IN CASE IS QUOTED
If Call is Issued Within Five Days
Army Will Stay Three Weeks.
GOVERNOR STATES HIS POSITION
Executive says Legislature Probably
Would Not Comply with HIS
Request TO Create state
Guard.

Would Not Comply with His
Request TO Create state
Guard.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2S.-President
Roosevelt today indicated by telegram to
Governor Sparks of Nevada that the fed
eral troops now at Goldheld will be or
| dered to remain there for a further period
Of three weeks. provided the governor
within flve days issues a call for a special
session of the state legislature. The presi-
dents letter follows:
THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington, Dec
g., lsO7.-Hon. John Sparks, Governor:
Carson City, New: Your telegram of De-
cember 2s is received. 1t in effect declares
that you have failed to call the legislature
| together, because, in your judgment the
legislature would not call upon the govern
ment Of the United States for the use OF
troops, although in your opinion it ought
| to do So
! The constitution of the United States i'm
poses. not upon you, but upon the legisla-
ture If it can be convened. the duty Of
| calling upon the government of the United
| States to protect the state of Nevada
against domestic violence. You now re-
] quest the armed forces of the United
States in violation OF the constitution be-
| cause in your judgment the legislature
would fail to perform it's duty under the
constitution.
The state government certainly does not
! appear to have made any serious effort to
do its duty by the effective enforcement
/ by the use of its police functions. I re-
! peat what have already said to you sew
eral times, that under the conditions exist
ing in the state of Nevada, as made
known to me, an application from the
legislature Of the state is an essential con-
dition to the indefinite continuance Of
! troops at Goldheld.
State should Act.
Circumstances may change and II they
| do l will take whatever action the needs
Of the situation require so far my con-
/ stitutional powers permit But the first
need is that the state authorities should do
their duty and the first step towards this
is the assembling of the legislature 1t is
apparent from your telegram that the
1 legislature of Nevada can readily be con
vened. You have fixed the period of three
weeks as the time necessary to convene
and organize a special session. II within
five days from the receipt OF this telegram
you shall have issued the necessary notice
to convene the Legislature of Nevada 1
shall continue the station OF the troops
at Goldheld during such period Of three
weeks II within the term of hve days
such notice has not been issued, the troops
viii be Immediately returned to their
former stations.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Telegram OF Governor,
The telegram of the president was in re-
sponse to one of the governor in which he
sets forth the need of armed Intervention
and expresses the doubt whether calling the
legislature would result in the necessary re-
quest from that body for federal aid. The
telegram follows:
carson, New, Dec. S.-The President,
Washington, d. c.. AS chief magistrate
of the state of Nevada have been Of the
opinion for the last year that a condition
bordering on domestic violence and insur-
rection has existed in the Goldheld mining
district. There has been an almost con-
stant state OF war between the Miners
union and the mine owners. who employ
the members of the union During the year
1907 practically one-fourth Of the time was
occupied in actual strikes and several
months in agitstions about other strikes.
Two Hostile Camps.
without considering the merit of any Of
1.-THE controversies. it is only necessary to
state that the entire district became divided
into two hostile camps On the one hand
the miners and their adherents and sympa-
thizers and on the other hand the mine
owners, with their adherents and sympa-
thizers. The union alone claimed a mem
bership Of 1900 and fully one-haf OF the
membership were constantly armed. Arms
and ammunition were purchased by the
union as a body. On the other hand the
mine owners employ a large number OF
: watchmen and guards who are constantly
armed and on duty; in addition TO those
forces were an unusually large number Of
the criminal element attracted TO the new
and booming mining camp.
Under such conditions the civil author
tiles were practically powerless. They
could attend 20 the ordinary petty offend
ers from day to day, but at the first con-
hict between the real armies Of labor and
capital they would have been swept away.
The repeated strikes and continued threats
of strikes irritated the mine owners more
and more. II was clear to me, therefore
that when the last strike was called In
the midst OF the financial crisis spreading
over the country and with a long winter
facing the twenty thousand people situated
upon the desert, hundreds OF miles from
| any centers OF populatlon' II was lline &c
recognize the actual condition OF affairs
and 10 act accordingly.
What Constitutes InsurrectiOn.
"A state Of domestic violence and insur'
rection arises. in my judgment, when armed
. bodies are in existence with sufficient power
10 overcome the civil authorities and con-
tinual threats were made Of the destruc-
! ton of life and property. This condition
has existed in the Goldheld mining district
the past year and exists there now. II
calls for the presence OF the troops to keeI
the peace As this condition has been SLOW
OF growth II viii take time TO remove H.
In my judgment, It is necessary thai
troops be kept at Goldheld an indefinite
period Of time. They should remain there
until both sides are shown that the dis
trict is not TO remain an armed camp and
a scene OF continual warfare. The com
munist and anarchist must seek new fields
. The iaboring man ne convinced that arbi
tration and peaceful methods are more GER
tain and lasting methods Of improving his
condition than by dynamite and the shot
gun This can only come about with time