The daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1906-1907, 1907-04-24
HOW THEY F|XfO II
The Meeting of the Goldfie!d Miners
That Emancipated Nevada From
the Industrial Workers

the InCuSlTldl "CTHeIS
The following from the Goldfield
Tribune tells the story of how the
miners of Nevada cut loose from the
Industrial Workers of the World:
There was long discussion be-
tween the leaders of the local 220 be-
fore the meeting was called, the con-
sequence being that it was fully half
past two before the chairman raped
with his gavel for order.
1t was fully evident before half
the members had put in an appear
ance which way the vote would go,
as the expression given forth from
small lots OF men who kept arriving
evidenced a strong desire and deter
mination to take matters in their own
hands, to throw off sO-called leader
ship, and conduct the affairs of the
union for the benefit of the miners
and for the miners only.
The leaders Of the .opposition
fo,s-hs to the last trench, they real
lied that heir hold on the miners
was weakening fast. Influential
members were seen and reasoned
with, their cooperation sought, and
every influence was brought to bear
TO achieve the desired result.
The miners were -committal.
They had at last made up their minds
just how they would vote, were
thoroughly informed as to the agree
ment TO be submitted to them and
were determined to accept it and go
back to work, so the atmosphere sur
rounding the erstwhiIc leaders was
somewhat chilly.
ST. John Makes His Talk.
The only long talk made at the
meeting was by Vincent st. John and
it is but just to say of him that along
his peculiar line Of argument he has
never in his entire career exceeded
the effort he put forth yesterday to
again bring his followers into line.
At first his climaxes and periods were
greeted with rounds of applause, but
when he began to attack the agree
ment submitted and the motives of
the committee presenting it,-when
he conveyed covert threat in one
of his climaXes,--his influence waned
and he must have felt defeat from the
few hands that patted out half
hearted applause.
A Frenzied Appeal.
st. John made frenzied appeal tC
his followers to stand pat and reJec
the agreement submitted by the com
mittec. He began from the very be
ginning of the trouble and step b!
step lead his hearers up to the pres
ent action According to st. John, a
no time had the l. w. w. been t.
blame, but the condition of affair
was due entirely to the action OF tn
Merchants and Mine Owners associf
ton of Goldfield, who were trying /
every way possible to onslaVe IN
wage worker and finally make this
scab camp. He took up the article
of agreement and went through thel
seriatum. commenting in a singular
emphatic manner on Article ), Whlc
reads NO strike or boycott shall /
officially declared by the Miner
Union unless by a two-thirds vote
that organization in favor thereo
and no lockout shall be enforced
the mine owners and operators unle:
bv like vote"
Clause That Hurt.
This. section, declared the speak
is to secure a two thirds vote on tt
question of a strike. Continuing
said: IF YOU want to make GO
field a scab town, just vote 1or u
proposition but my advice is to
struct your committee to reject 'lt
toto. Say to the mine owners to
ahead and make GOldfield sc
camp and tell them that when they
we have different cards up G
sleeves to play"
Hardly had the sentence LETT |
speakers lips Wnen he IedllZSu II
he had a made a fatal mistake. L
yniled threat seemed at once TO
comprehended by the audience, a
instead of the cheers which have g
orally greeted st. Johns climax
dead silence ensued. He endeavol
for fifteen minutes more to arol
his hearers to their oldtime ent
siasm, and finding no response g;
up in dispair and took his seat
an almost dead silence, his last S
tence being an exhortation to