The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-03-10

forecast of coming trouble. Little
ps of excited labor men con-
& + ed on the corners. Although
the police force had been increased
and the cordons OF armed guards
about the property OF the railway
company enlarged, it is believed there
will be trouble when the cars are
started Friday morning.
The police are taking special pre-
cautions that firearms be sold only
to those who have some special
reason for such weapons and strin-
gent guard is being maintained over
all stores where such may be OBJ
tanned. 1t is freely predicted that
the labor union men will fight any
attempt to run the cars unless they
are manned by union men.
In a statement on the situation
Governor Cruce said
Il know that ! am doing the
right thing. Not only is it necessary
to preserve the public peace and
property but it must be done. | did
not call out the militia without a
full and good knowledge of the sit
uation. / believe they are needed and
that my step, as it is right, will be
generally approved
Stirring Scenes.
Stirring scenes marked the at
tempt to resume traffic on the lines
Thursday afternoon. AS soon as it
was learned that the supposed agree
ment had been reached the officials
of the company ordered the cars out
of the barns The union leaders as
sert that the old men who were re-
instated were not given their senior
ity rights in that men who were
not members of the union We're
placed on the first regular run"
cars that were sent out.
The crowds Immediately congre-
gated at the Terminal station and
for more than an hour, as each
car passed through 1t was manned by
union men and started on its rounds.
In a short time, however, traffic
was completely blocked. Strikers ex-
perienced difficulty in getting the
men off the cars.
Rough tactics were INDUCED in
when necessary. Several persons
were injured and in the crowd at
$50 were two women who were
seriously jostled about. All attempts
at freight and passenger traffic along
west Grand were abandoned. A great
majority of the men who did not be-
long to the new organization pre-
vious to Thursday afternoon were
forced to join in order to proceed
with their work.
Mont R. Powell, president of the
local Trades Council, one of the best
known labor men in the state, said
Thursday night:
The street railway officials are en-
tirely to blame in the matter, and
while / am not critcizing the gov
ernor, | do not think it was good
policy to call out the militia. If the
had waited until the men
We're assigned their old runs, and
then had manned their other cars
with men other than those belonging
to the union. doubt If there would
have been very much trouble.
''As to the probability of bloodshed,
one can never tell. The governor
has told C. C. Zeig,er, president of
the State Federation of Labor, that
he will shoulder the responsibility for
any trouble that may occur through
calling the militia"
Reply to ZeigIer.
Eve had just as well understand
each other right now, Mr. Zeigler,
will not permit mob to run over
Oklahoma City, and to prevent it,
if necessary, ! will call out every
in the state and arm every
good citizen. n."-Governor Lee Cruce.
The above was Governor Cruces
statement to President c. c.. Zeigler
in the dungeon at the Lee-Huckins
hotel Thursday night after President
Zeigler told the governor that if he
called out the militia and blood was
shed it would rest on the governors
hands. Governor Cruce replied that
he was willing to bear the respon-
sibilty.
In an interview with President
Zeigler last night, after he hal talk
ed to Governor Cruce, he said:
The union entered into the agree
ment with the company in good faith,
fully believing it would live up to
its part Of the contract. The COM
pany failed to do so, and the ac-
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