The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-08

There Is no doubt that it's leaders
stirred up strife and hatred and ought
to have been suppressed. But there is
also no doubt that the miners suf-
fered great provocation and that
wealthy mine owners were none the
less reprehensible than the labor
leaders. The fact that Meyer and
Haywood. in their positions as the ex-
ecutives of the miners union, stirred
up strife and hatred against the
wealthy classes, does not prove them
guilty of murder.
In this connection the opinion of a
Kansas man who is in a position to
judge somewhat of this matter is of
value. He is at present a Kansas
editor. but he was in the newspaper
business in the Cripple Creek district
during the labor troubles out there.
He is extremely conservative, of good
judgment, and having unusual oppor-
tunities. as a newspaper man, to get
at the facts. the State Journal values
his opinion in this matter. This man
knew something of Meyer and Hay
wood, and he says unhesitatingly that
he cannot believe them guilty of com
plicity in the crimes charged against
them. While the Western Federation
of Miners was oppressive and dicta-
torial when it had the chance, it is in
conceivable, says this man, that as an
organization it or it's officers commit
ted the outrages it is charged with. In
fact, he asserts that it was proved in
court that the alleged attempted
wreck of a Cripple Creek & Florence
train, which Orchard claims to have
tipped OFF, to the mine owners, was
planned and "averted'' by a detective
in the employ of the mine owners.
The Tindicator explosion this man
asserts, may not have been an ex-
plosion at all. While the story was
sent out that the mine had been
blown up" by striking miners, as
near as could be discovered 1t was
simply an accident caused by an in
competent engineer, who ran the cage
so high above the mouth of the shaft
that a cable broke and the cage drop
ped back, killing two men. Every
item Of news that was sent out of the
district, this newspaper man says. was
censored by Sherman Bell, and not a
thing was allowed to go out that was
not colored to favor the mine owners.
With such testimony as this coming
from a
it is well to discount at least a portion
of Orchards confession until it is cor
roborated. Orchard may have been the
fend he asserts he was, but if so, he
would readily confess more than he
was really guilty of, and also tangle
innocent men UP in his crimes If there
by ne might help himself.
The jury in the Haywood case GER
tainly has a grave and difficult respon-
sibility resting upon it.
Back of this tragedy and the other
crimes and outrages of the labor wars
is the strife and hatred of man for
man. There is wrong on both sides.
Each wishes to get the better of his
fellow. There is always joy in hell
over the hate that is engendered in a
war between capital and labor The
devil plays one against the other, when
the labor boss and the capitaIistic boss
try to get an unfair advantage of each
other.
Some people see a bloody war COM
ing between these two forces. We are
optimistic enough to believe it may be
averted; but the only thing that will
do it is the doctrine of the real Square
Deal-the Golden Rule-the teachings
of Jesus Christ. When men are will
ing to give to others the same oppor-
tunities and privileges they claim for
themselves there will be no more strife
between capital and labor. When Capt.
tai gives Labor it's just reward and the
due proportion Of the returns from its
work: when Labor is willing that Capt.
tai should have the rewards that belong
to it in turn: and when each indi-
vidual is willing to give aid to his
weaker ana more unfortunate brother.
then there will be no more strikes. But
as long as men hate each other, as long
as there are Meyers and Haywoods and
capitalists to stir up that hatred, and
as long as there are f1ends like Harry
Orchard, labor troubles will continue.
The hearts Of such men need chang
ing.
MR. YOAKUNFS APPROVAL
Mr.. B. F. Yo2kum is one railroad