The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-06-07

The final curtain fell in the
great seven years struggle be-
tween the Mine Operators associ-
alton and the Western Federation
of Miners, when the Colorado leg
islature passed the appropriation
bill, few days ago, which con-
tanned provisions to partially re-
imburse the miners who suffered
damages during the Peabody
war" Without an exception this
contest was the most bitter and
uncompromising that ever has
been waged between labor and
capital on this continent. Its cost
mounted high into the millions of
dollars.
On the one side stood the Mine
Operators association, assisted by
Standard Oils untold wealth, the
smelter combine, railways, etc.. !;
the. governor, the high courts, the
militia, several detective and
lstrike-breaking agencies, the Citi-
zens' alliance, with a few notable
Exceptions the daily newspapers
of the country, and even President
Roosevelt and other Washington
lofficials threw their immense pow
er and influence to the support of
the employers.
On the other side stood the
Western Federation of Miners
with its back to the wall, grim
and determined, resolved to fight
to the last ditch to preserve its
entity and safeguard the rights of
its membership. Financially, the
miners were forced to depend
upon the small contributions OF
their fellow workingmen and SYM
pathizers, and the trade union
Il press.
Il From the day that the men
struck in Colorado City, in 1902,
to compel the enforcement of the
Ieight-hour law in mines and
smelters, as voted by the people OF
Colorado by an overwhelming ma
ljority in a referendum, down to
the elimination of the celebrated
trials in Boise, not single
charge laid at the doors of the
miners by the operators and their
|lpress, politicians and Pinkertons
has been substantiated in court.
II The records not only show thai
the miners were absolutely guilt.
less of the charges of lawlessness
and crime brought against them
! but that the accusers themselves
were guilty of committing almost
every crime In the calendar, from
the deliberate violations of local
and state laws and the United
States constitution on the part of
the politicians to the confession of
wholesale murder by the opera
tors star witness, Orchard. Pub
lie officials who enforced laws
impartially were forced to resign
at the point of guns; miners and
their families were driven from
their families were driven from
their homes, deported or thrown
into bull-pens by hundreds, their
property was destroyed and many
were killed and wounded. The
lreading public is too familiar with
the unparalleled oppression prac-
ticed in Cripple Creek, Victor, Tul-
Ileride and other mining centers OF
Colorado to require detailed repe-
|ltition.
1t need merely be mentioned
that by stubborn and unyieldine
adherence to the principles OF
fright and justice and by unselfish
devotion to q cause such as the
world seldom sees, the miners by
lsheer force of character and the
determination to fight the good
flight to a glorious end, have been
liable to wrest one concession after
another from their unwilling enc.
mies until today they have virtual.
lily trlumphed over all obstacles
aand stand yindiclted before the