The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1913-10-02

state,r1Hves out the following inter-
view concerning the coal strike and
ffe causes leading up to it.
Mr. Cove says:
"In view of the widespread inter-
est in the strike at many of the coal
camps in this state. and to correct
much misinformation which has been
circulated with reference thereto, l
have been requested on behalf of a
large number OF mine owners. to make
public brief statement of indispu-
table facts.
prior TO the calling of the present
strike. no substantial differences ex-
listed between the mine-owners and
their workmen. Only a small minori-
ty OF the miners were members OF any
union. The United Mine Workers of
America claimed membership in that
organization on May 81. 1913. in the
states of Colorado. Utah and New
Mexico. OF only 2OiS. out of total of
$4,000 men employed. Approximately
1000 of these members were enrolled
from the northern part of Colorado.
where a strike had been in progress
for many months: and 1000 from
points elsewhere in this State and In
Utah and New Mexico.
Some weeks ago one of the offi-
cials OF the United Mine Workers
came to this state and announced pub
Iicly and privately that 1t was his pur-
pose to bring about the recognition
of his organization by the owners OF
all coal mines-that Is, 1t was his
purpose and that of his union to COM
pei the operators to sign a form Of
contract which. among other things,
requires and permits the employment
of union men only in and about coal
mines.
Because OF this and many other
stipulations in this so-called contract
which is impossible of enforcement
against the union, voluntary. irre-
sponsible and unIncorporated asso-
citation. and because OF the fact that
few of the men working in the mines
were members OF this organization,
and were making no demands. the
operators declined to negotiate upon
the subject.
"Thereupon, the union official men
toned announced that, although fully
empowered so to do. he would not call
strike to enforce his demands. but
would refer the matter TO a conven-
tion of representatives selected by
the miners in all the coal camps OF
the State. a conveation was called.
II met in Trinidad. Two hundred and
fifty so-called delegates were present.
One hundred were striking and idle
miners from northern Colorado; 50
or thereabouts were officers or paid
employees OF the union. The rest were
selected by those in charge of this
convention. and in no sense repre-
scented the men actually at work in
the mines. In few, II any. INSTANCES
were delegates selected by the men
actually employed in the ccal camps.
This convention voted to call a strike.
and II was accordingly called for the
23rd inst. At that time approximately
so per cent of the men engaged in and
about the coal mines laid down their
tools.
THE real, and at first the frankly
TO compel the operators to sign the
union contract-has now, for effect
upon the public been increased to in
clude a number OF new demands
which properly appeal. with some
force. to all right thinking men wbo
are not definitely advised of the facts
An advance OF 10 per cent in wages
This can not be conceded The wages
of the miners were voluntarily ad-
vanced ten per cent by the operators