United labor bulletin., 1911-12-28
STATE OWNERSHIP
OF COAL MINES
Trades Assembly Will Prepare
Fair List--- Public Utilities
Commission Amendment
To Be Initiated.

he coal situation in Colorado will, in
few weeks, take on definite form. For
two years the union miners in Northern
Colorado have been on strike, and there
seems but little hope for a settlement.
The United Mine Workers have made d
grand fight along the usual lines pursued
under strike conditions, but nothing has
resulted except poverty, Imprisonment
and expenditure of money.
The Denver Trades Assembly last
summer placed a boycott on the North
ern Coal and Coke company and several
Denver firms, but this brought nothing
of permanent benefit Considerable
union coal has been purchased, but not
sufficient to cause the trust much worry.
The Northern company disposed of its
holdings to the Rocky Mountain Fuel
company, and since then the boycott has
not been prosecuted.
But new principle has entered into
the fight-the principle of the state op-
Grating coal mines and delivering coal
to the consumer.
Edward Heating, president of the state
land board, has suggested this proposi-
tion with the hope that the backbone OF
the coal trust could be broken and the
price of coal lowered to the citizens OF
the state; but the legislative committee
of the Denver Trades Assembly-Messrs.
Bryan, Conkle and Means-recognized in
this move all that Mr.. Keating spoke OF,
and also the fact that such a move must
necessarily be blow at the open shop"
in coal mining
Mr. Bryan called Mr.. Keating on the
telephone and made an appointment for
the committee. At this meeting with
the committee Mr. Keating promised to
call a meeting of the committees from
the different organizations that had
taken up the coal question. This re-
suited in a meeting last Thursday at
which the following were present.
Edward Keating, president of the state
land hoard
Frank A. Bryan and J. A. Conkle. rep
resenting the Denver Trades and Labor
Assembly.
c. E. Street, representing the Direct
Legislation League of Colorado.
w r. Calicotte. representing the
Farmers union as well as the Direct
/ Legislation League.
R II. Winston, secretary of the Farm
ers union. is also a member Of the com
mittee, but was not present
For more than two hours the commit
tee viewed the issue from every angle;
but it came TO no definite conclusion
Mr.. Keating was elected chairman of the
committee and Mr.. Street secretary. The
secretary was instructed to obtain stat
utes bearing on public utilities commits
sions from such states as have them,
and Chairman Heating was instructed
TO secure legal talent and opinions on
the subject from men of national repute.
The committee adjourned subject to the
call OF the chairman.
Il was the consensus of opinion of
those present that an amendment to the
state constitution should be submitted
TO the referendum by initiation through
petition providing for a general public
utilities commission, empowered to use
the school funds of the state for the OPP
Grafton of coal mines and the delivery
of the product of such mines to the con-
sumer. 1t was thought best that the
commission should be given jurisdiction
over all public utilities.
There is little doubt but that action
along this line will be taken. and the
committee hopes to have the petition in
circulation by March I.
| The Denver Trades Assembly Sunday
recognized this move as a solution of Il
great problem. The above report was
made by Chairman Bryan of the legisla-
tive committee, and later Delegate Conkle,
| a member of the legislative committee,
under report of the arbitration commit
| tee recommended as temporary relief
that boycott be placed on all coal not
mined by union miners; that fair list
be published of all firms handling union
coal in the city of Denver, and that a
committee be appointed to carry out the
will of the assembly.
This recommendation was unanimous
ly adopted. and Acting vice-President
Koch named the following substantial
committee to prosecute the boycott;
Frank Bryan. chairman: c. ]. Moor
house. Frank Speigl, ]. L. Compton and
Charles Hornburg. The mover OF the
motion declined the craftsmanship on &C
count of other committee work.
The committee met last night in the
office of The Bulletin and outlined plan
, of campaign.