New-York tribune., 1908-01-13
TROOPS TO GO SOON.
AFFAIRS At GOLDFIELD.
Com mission S Report and President S
Letter Made Public.


day. when the report of the special investigating
commission was made public. together with
letter from the President Governor Sparks
dated January /. The President says he shall
Ie governed by the recommendations in the re-
port. unless the Governor can show that the
statements Of the report are not in accordance
witt the facts.
The conditions the report says, did not
support the general allegations in the Governors
request for troops. nor were his specific state
ments established TO any such extent as to
justify his use Of these statements for the pur-
pose Of getting federal troops" It closes with
this recommendation;
But We also must firmly believe that upon the
assembling of the Legislature, or within q few
regardless OF any request for their retention that
may be made by either the Legislature the
Governor Of Nevada. ii being essential that the
state OF Nevada shall understand this Situa-
tion completely. shall recognize the fact that
there will at that date. be thrown upon II. and
Il alone. the primary responsibility of keeping
order. and that recognizing this report. IT may
take such action as is the duty of the state and
ss will be sufficient in the premises
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER
In his letter 10 Governor Sparks. after re-
viewing the steps SO far taken in the Goldheld
mining trouble. the President continues:
have just received the report of these three
gentlemen Murray, Smith and NeiHb, which
belief. after careful investigation on the
ground that there uas no warrant whatever for
calling on the President for troops and that the
troops should not be kept indefinitely IN Golo-
field The report further states that there was
10 insurrection against the power OF the state
at the tine the troops were called for, that no
body supposed that there such an inSur-
rection and that OF the conditions descr1bed
in Sections 5297-s9 Of the Revised statutes as
varrantirs interference by the federal govern
ulent existed and that The effort vas and is
plainly an effort by the State Of Nevada TO Sc
Ex-- ted TQ-n 0f
the ordinary police duties which should, as a
matter Of course. be performed by Nevada her
seIf The report further says:
There is absolutely question that if the
state Of Nevada and the county of Esmeralda
exercised the powers at their disposal they can
maintain satisfactory order in GOldheld that, 50
far, these authorities have done nothing. but
relying upon federal aid and their ATTITUDE now
IS EXPRESSED by that of refusing to do anything
snd desiring to throw their burdens the
federal government for the maintenance Of those
elementary conditions Of order for which they,
and they only. responsible.
The signers Of the report express their con-
VfC1ion that the troops should remain in Nevada
untll the assembling OF the LeglsIaIure; SO as 10
preserve the status quo in order that the Lesfs-
lature NAV deal with the situation il exists,
but that shortly thereafter the troops should be
removed.
agree with the recommendations Of this
port, of which inclose 4 copy, and shall act
accordingly Unless Il can be shown that the
statements OF the report are not in accordance
With the facts IL viii be incumbent upon the
Legislature OF Nevada. when IT convenes. itself
The State Of Nevada must itself make q reso-
Iute effort in good faith 10 perform the police
duties incident TO the existence Of state.
OPERATORS SIDE HEARD FULLY
AS the operators association had instituted
the call for federal aid, the commission.
reaching C3oldfeld. allowed its counsel to pre-
sen. the operators side of the case fully. This
occupied five days. At the end of these hear
ings, the report says:
Inasmuch as we were by this time satisfied
that the mine operators had not in any particu-
lar established 4 case Justifying either the
bringing or the retention Of the troops. did
not deem II necessary To take any extensive evi-
substantially closed with a brief formal inter
view with the committee from the miners
union
Reviewing the conditions leading ID to the
present strike and since the strike began, on
November - last, the report draws this con-
clusion:
The action Of the mine operators warrants
the belief that they had determined upon re-
6uction in wages and the refusal Of employ
rlent 70 members Of the Western Federation OF
Miners. but that they feared N take this course
% action unless they had the protection Of fed
eraI troops. and that they accordingly laid a
plan 70 secure such troops and then put their
programme into effect
When the troops arrived the mine operators
issued z statement IN which they indicated i
reduction in miners wages from IS TO 81 q day;
also their intention not 70 employ miners who
belonged TO the union The report adds:
While this cut II wages and refusal to employ
members Of the Western Federation Of Miners
vas not announced until after the arrival OF the
troops every indication confirms the belief that
such action was in contemplation before the
arrival Of the troops. was part Of the general
Dan OF the mine operators to establish their IN
dependence Of the union, and that the coming Of
the troops vas expected and urged by them to
make such plan feasible
CONDITIONS AT GoLDFIELD-
Conditions at Goldheld. the report asserts, did
not justify calling for the troops. The single
case Of the unlawful use of dynamite, which
failed 10 accomplish any damage. was surround
81 by such circumstances, the report says, as 70
raise Z reasona bic doubt to the genuineness
of the charge that members Of the union were
RESPONSIBLE. The great bulk Of the testimony
Of the operators tended 10 show, according 10
the report not the existence Of past or present
disorder but the possibility Of future disturb
znce should the troops be withdrawn. This view
vas held by many men Of almost all classes
hut was based on the changed conditions since
the troops had arrived-namely, the declaration
Of the operators reducing wages and refusing to
er7pIov r,nion men. As To the refusal of the
orerstors TO employ union men, the report sets
forth statute of the state prohibiting such dis
c-i-,ina+ion. The commission expresses itself as
satisfied that out Of the entire membership IN
the miners union there are not over g. few nun
dred men of dangerous type, while the great
7s s,,-ity proba bly, -fourths Of the member
shin of the union, are conceded to be men OF
lava biding tendencies. The report ADDS
By permitting their organization TO be man
aged and controlled by men OF vIoient i+aif