The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1907-12-13
coNFERs WITH OPERATORS AND
UNION OFFICIALS ON coNDl-
TIoNs in CAMP.
FEW MINERS WORK
Mine Owners Meeting With Practical
Iy No Success In Efforts to Resume
operations-No Violence or lntimi-
dation-Miners May Have Leading
Operators Arrested.

the attempt to reopen the mines OF
Goldfield without the aid of the West.
ern Federation Of Miners has passed
and there has not been a single in.
Unarmed pickets of the Goldfield
stance of attempted violence or dis
order in the camp.
Miners union have approached as
| close to the scene of the operations as
the armed guards Of the Mine Owners
association would permit, and have
succeeded in inducing some Of those
| who had signed the agreement to re-
turn to work to violate that agreement
| and leave the mines.
General Funston arrived at noon,
and his coming seems to have helped
the situation greatly and to have
strengthened the constantly growing
impression that the fearful incidents
of strikes in other mining camps are
not to be repeated here.
1t is stated tonight that the leaders
of the strike have secured what evi-
dence they want to prosecute some of
the mining operators under statute
of the state of Nevada, which makes
it a crime punishable by a fine of not
less than $50 or more than $500 of
imprisonment for not less than 20 or
more than 150 days, or both to require
an employe to promise or agree not
to become member or remain a mem
Der of any labor organization. Ar
rests may be expected at any time, it
is stated by some, while others char
acterize the whole report of probable
arrests as a bluff.
Funston confers With Union.
After a conference with President
Charles H. Mackinnon of the Goldheld
Miners union, General Funston sent
report to Washington tonight regard
ing the situation here. The confer
ence with President Mackinnon took
place at 8 o'clock, and was the last
of a series Of conferences which Gen
eral Funston has been holding since
his arrival here today at 1890 o'clock.
Governor Sparks, Colonel Reynolds,
in command of the troops; Acting
President Dowlin and Secretary ErD
of the Goldfield Mine Owners associa-
tion, and others were called into these
conferences, and General Funston
wasted no time in acquainting himself
with an outline, at least, Of the con-
ditions that prevail here.
While General Funston refused to
say what is contained in his report to
Washington, he said that 1t contains
nothing in regard to the probable
length of the stay Of the troops in
Goldfe1d. but would be confined to
the length of the trouble.
Regulars to Stay.
"The regulars will be here at least
until after the arrival of the labor COM
missioners from Washington, said
General Funston. This means that
they will be here for another week,
and have no doubt they will remain
much longer, at least until peace and
order is assured. 1t is too soon after
my arrival to have obtained any in
formation. My direct report will sim
ply set forth my view Of the situation
as I have obtained it from the people
whom I have seen today.
'It must be remembered that am
not here to go into the merits Of the
dispute between the mine owners and
the miners. That is what the commits
sioners are coming from Washington
for. They will no doubt go deeply
into the merits of the grievances on
both sides, but I am simply going to
determine whether the continued
presence of the troops, or at least a
part Of them. in Goldfield will prevent
disorder and riot and bloodshed. I am
convinced that the presence Of the
troops thus far has been a necessary
precaution.
Won't Advocate Martial Law.
Martial law should be last resort,
and will not advocate it until there
has been some great violence COM
.mitted and the local authorities have
proven themselves unable to stop any
outrages, such as the destruction Of
life or valuable property. Either the
president or the governor OF the state
must declare martial law. and in the
event Il be the governor shall con-
slider that the regulars are at his serv-
ice, iust as would be the state militia,
provided Nevada had such an institu-
ton. In fact, it is my idea that the
regulars are here 10 take the place OF