Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-09
PRE- EslpENr ROOSEVELT. THE Ia
eoR UNIONS AND THE WEST
ERN FEDERATION OF MINERS

In EnlCl nt ttlc AVi III ti'P--''N'~N-s
and In detail his opinion of such labor
leaders as Debs and the trio OF West
eru Federation officials now confined
in jail In Idaho, under charge OF mur-
der of Governor Stueunberg OF that
state.
In the main President Roosevelt's
declarations are worthy of approval
and endorsement
The labor leader that undertakes TO
stir up strife, to create discomfort, to
disturb the course of peaceful in
dustry. to promote lawlessness and to
unsettle the foundations of social and
political order, is an undesirable citi-
zen, without regard to whether the ac-
tuating purpose of that leader be Grim
iual, revolutionary. or merely selfish
desire to gain power and money by
taking advantage of other mems fg-
norance and passions.
In one respect we think the presi.
dent is In error, and that public opin-
ion will not approve his assertion that
there Is no connection between his
statement that Meyer and Haywood
are undesirable citizens" and the
fact that these men are on trial before
an Idaho court for murder and con-
spiracy. 1t Is not matter OF general
public knowledge whether the prose
cution In these cases intends to prove
the completely OF the Western Fedora
ton officials directly in the crime
(as for instance that the murder was
done by their previous instigation,
knowledge OF approval,) or whether
they merely expect to show that the
course Of these labor leaders was such
to encourage and to condone criminal
lawlessness. In either case, the dec
leration of the president of the United
States that prisoners held under a
grave charge are undesirable citi-
zens" cannot fail to have an unfa-
vorable influence upon public senti-
ment. and In some measure at least
affect the influences that surround the
case. which should be those OF neutral
justice. 1t may be true, as the presi-
dent says, that the bad citizenship OF
these men is a matter quite independ-
ent OF the charges brought against
them In the courts OF Idaho; but II II
convict these men as provoking agents
and condoners of crime rather than
as actual conspirators in assassina
tions, then the opinion of the presi
dent of the United States expressed
while their case is pending. cannot
fail to have q close bearing upon the
trial.
There Is another matter which east
en people who comment upon this
case usually overlook. The Western
Federation of Miners Is the most rad
ical OF the labor organizations. but
this is SO largely because 1t has had
to deal with the most radical class
Of employers. There is no line of
caste or permanent condition drawn
between the western mine owners and
the mine workers. The difference Is
the difference between success and
failure. between good luck and bad
luck. The members Of the Western
various mine owners associations In
the gold and silver camps of the
Rocky mountain region had a common
origin and TO large degree are alike
in principles and in methods. 1t is a
3lrrcrors mistake TO suppose that the
conditions OF the west are the same as
those of the east, or that the wrong,
the injustice and the lawlessness is
entirely on the side OF the Western
Federation.
There are too many men in the west
who want to see Meyer and Haywood
released whether they are guilty or
not, and these the president justly
condemns, but fairminded persons in
these western states cannot overlook
the fact that there are also thousands
of rich and powerful men that want to
see Meyer and Haywood cor demned
whether they are innocent or not.
The presidents letter does not stand
we still hope to see enforced In the
Idaho case.
We cannot overlook the fact that
there Is danger on both sides of the
Meyer and Haywood case: danger oil
seditlon and Of anarchy, of lawless-
ness and crime on one side. danger OF
oppression and tyranny, OF lawlessness
and crime on the other.
For the hideous murder OF Stuenn-
berg there cannot be any apology or
defense. and every person convicted of
completely in or responsibility for that
atrocious crime should be properly
punished. But even this crime must
not be made an excuse to abridge the
rights Of free speech, or the rights OF
Americans to organize and to work to-
gether for the redress OF their griev-
ances and the betterment Of their con-
ditions.-Pueblo Chieftain.
J. B. Corey. aged uncle OF w. Il.
Corey, wept when told In Pittsburg
10 klah lA