Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-01
TROUBLE At GOLDFIELD.
Troops May Remain There Some
Time Longer.
President Roosevelt Raps Gov. Sparks
for Over-importance and Neglect
of His Plain Duty.

Washington, Dec %. President
Roosevelt today telegraphed Gov.
Sparks of Nevada that if the
governor within five days will issue
a call for a special session of the
legislature he will continue the
troops at Goldfield during a period
of three weeks. If, within five
days, the call has not been issued
the troops will be withdrawn.
The presidents message was in
response to one from Gov. Sparks
in which he set forth the need Of
armed Intervention and expressed
the doubt that to call the legislature
would result in a request for federal
aid.
Gov. Sparks in his message stated
that Goldfield conditions for a year
had been in a condition bordering
on domestic violence and 1nsurrec-
ton, and that there was almost
constant war between the miners
and operators.
-
Practically one fourth of 1902 was
taken up with actual strikes or
agitation for strikes, stated the
governor, and without considering
the merits of controversy, the
entire district became divided into
two hostile camps. The miners
union claimed membership Of
1000 and half that number went
armed constantly Arms and am
munition were purchased and kept
by the union as a body, The.
owners employed armed watchmen
and q big criminal population in
fested the camp.
Civil authorities are practically
poWerless, comments Gov. Sparks;
the situation calls for the presence,
of armed troops They should re-
main in the camp until both sides
are shown that arbitration and
peaceful methods are more certain
and lasting than dynamite and shot
gum.
cent of the citizens do not favor the
calling of a special session and that
at least three weeks would be 1e-
CURED before the body could as
semble, il view of geographical
reasons and the customary ten
days notice.
PRESIDENTS REPLY.
President Roosevelt's reply to-
Gov. Sparks request that the troops
remain was as follows:
Your telegram Dec 26 in effect
declares that you have failed to call
the legislature together because. in
your Judgment, the legislature
would not call upon the govern
ment of the United States for the
use OF troops, although in your
opinion it ought to do so.
The constitution of the United
States imposes, not upon you, but
upon the legislature if it can be
convened, the duty Of calling upon
the government Of the United States
to protest the state of Nevada
against domestic violence. You
now request me to use the armed
forces of the United States in viola
ton of the constitution because in
your judgment the Legislature would
fail to perform it's duty under the
constitution.
THE state government certainly
does not appear to have made any
serious effort to do it's duty by the
effective enforcement of its police
functions. l repeat again what |
have already said TO you several
times, that under the circumstances
now existing in the state of Nevada
as made known to me, an applica-
ton from the legislature of the
state is an essential condition to the
indefinite continuance of the troops
at GOldfeld.
DEPENDS ON CIRCUMSTANCES
Circumstances may charge, and
if they do I will take whatever
action the needs of the situation re-
quire so far as my constitutional
powers permit. But the first need
is that the state authorities should
do their duty, and the first step
toward this is the assembling of the
legislature.
WOOdman Installation and Dance.