The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-05-15

TOO, WOulQ De uQaDle TO give Une UeS-
timony of Orchard the same credence
he would give the testimony of 9th
er witnesses. The indication of this
feeling led the state to cover the
of all talesmen
Boise, Id, May 15.-It is not alone
for the murder of Frank Steunenberg
that the officials of the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners are on trial. Cen
viction of this crime involves, in 1he
eyes of the world. guilt of scores of
other crimes that have stained wit1
blood the history of the western war
of the classes. According to the
confession of Harry Orchard, he alone
committed twenty-five murders in
Colorado at the behest of the Inner
circle of the federation.
knowledge of the Colorado war, in
which Governor Peabody and General
Sherman Bell attained fame, is nee
essary to correct understanding of
the present case. AS a result of this
war scores of union and nOn-uniOn
miners were killed and hundreds of
members of the Western Federation
of Miners were confined in bull pens
even worse than those established in
Idaho by Governor Steul snberg. The
iron rules of military authority sup
planted civil law and men were impri-
soned and deported from the state at
the will of the Gallant General Bell.
1t was as result of this warfare that
the Western Federation of Miners
became a Socialistic organization. In
the words of the Rev. Washington
GLADDEN.: eff Socialism ever becomes
mi in ifc odx r
ed will point to Governor Peabody
and Adjutant General Bell, ald the
Citizens alliance of Telluride apd
Cripple Greek and the people who
forged the weapons with which it won
its first great battle"
Whoever may be guilty of the
crimes perpetrated during the Colora-
do war, it was the rapacity of the
Mine owners that caused it. Although
it is generally believed that members
of the Western Federation of Miners
were involved in many episodes of
that reign of terror, none of them
nave ever been convicted of any ser
ious offelse, despite the utmost en-
deav5rs of the state officials. Aside
from the confession of Harry Orchard
little or no evidence has been discov-
cred to lead to a belief that Presi-
dent Meyer or Secretary Haywood ad
vised or countena1ced the commits
sion of any overt acts. Following the
conclusion of the treaty of peace,
many members of the federation were
placed on trial for various crimes,
but none were ever convicted. Dur
ing one of these trials, in which union
were charged with attempting
to wreck a passenger train on the
Florence & Cripple Greek railroad,
Charles NJ. Mckinney, a witness for
the prosecution, broke down and con-
fessed that he had been hired by the
Colorado Mine Owners association to
wreck the train and place the respon-
sibitity on the union. The case was
then dropped.
The Colorado war had its beginning
in 1902, when, with Governor Peabody
a legislature was elected that was
pledged to pass an eight hour law.
Sucn a statute had previously been
passed, but was declared unconstitu-
tional by the Colorado supreme court
To obvfate this difiiculty an amend
ment to the constitution was voted
on in tae 1902 election and received
a majority OF 10000. The amendment
thus provided by popular vote was as
The general assembly shall provide
by law. aad shall prescribe suitable
Dena1tfes for the violation thereof