The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1908-01-03
SPARKS TAKES
TEDDY,S ADVICE
Nevada Governor Agrees TO Call
Extra Session Of Legislature.
SOLDIERS WILL STAY ON
Action Of Governor Insures Presence Of
Troops at GoIdfeld for an In
definite line.

1
Gated by telegram to Governor Sparks
Of Nevada that the federal troops now
at Goldnsld will be ordered to re-
main there for a further period Of
three weeks provided the governor
within I'VE days issues a call for
special session Of the state legisla-
ture.
The telegram Of the president was in
response to one from the governor in
which he sets forth the need Of armed
intervention and the doubt that to call
the legislature would result In the nee
essary request from that body for fed
eraI aid.
The letter of Governor Sparks, which
was made public at the white house.
was. in, part, as follows:
Carson, New, Dec. 26.-The Presi-
dent, Washington, D. c.: AS chief mag
| istrate Of the state Of Nevada have
been of the opinion for the past year
that condition bordering on domes-
| tic violence and insurrection has ex-
| listed in the Goldtield mining district.
Without considering the merits OF
any Of the controversies 1t is only nee
essary to state that the entire district
became divided into two hostile camps.
One on the one hand the miners, with
their adherents and sympathizers, and
on the other mine owners, with their
adherents and sympathizers. The I'M
ion alone claimed a membership Of
5000 and fully one-half Of the mem
bership was constantly armed Arms
and ammunition were purchased and
kept by the union as a body.
ION the other hand, the mine own
ers had in their employ large num-
Der of watchmen and guards who
were constantly armed and on duty;
in addition to those opposing forces
were an unusually large number Of
the criminal element attracted to the
new and booming mining camp. I'm
der such conditions the civil authori-
ties were probably powerless. They
could attend to the ordinary petty Of
tenders from day to day, but at the
first conflict between the real armies
Of labor and capital would have been
swept away. The repeated strikes and
continued threats Of other strikes ex-
cited mine owners more and more. It
was clear to me, therefore, that when
j the last strike was called in the midst
Of the financial crisis spreading over
the country and with a long winter
facing the 10000 people situated upon
the desert hundreds of miles from
any centers of population, it was time
to recognize the actual condition Of
affairs and to act accordingly A state
Of insuTection arises, in my Judgment
when armed bodies are in existence
with satisfactory power to overcome
the civil authorities and continued
threats were made of life and prop
erty. This condition has existed in the
GoIdfeld mining district the past year
and exists there now"
A dispatch of Sunday from Reno,
New, is as follows: A special session
of the Nevada legislature will be call,
ed by Governor John Sparks. The
governor said that he would issue the
proclamation and that the date Of con
vening the legislature would probably
be January 14th. The call will be
made at the request OF President
Roosevelt.
Notification Of the decision to as
semble the legislature has been trans
mitted to Washington. County Com
missioner Rosenthal of Goldheld, whose
resignation has been requested by Gov
ernor Sparks, has refused to vacate
his office.
! Sparks will call the Nevada legislature
together in special session has put
an entirely new aspect upon the la
Dor situation at Goldheld. At least a
portion Of the federal troops, it is
! thought, will remain in Goldfeld for
an indefinite period and fear of any
serious disturbance growing out of the
dispute has vanished. 1t is not at all
certain. however, that the legislature
viii act in accordance with the wishes
Of Governor Sparks, but the calling
Of the special session will have the
effect of keeping federal troops in
Goldfeld for several weeks andNwill