Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1913-12-18
GOVERNOR AND
UNION MEN
IN CONFERENCE

Denver, Colo, Dec. 18.--Delegates
to the state labor convention here, to
the number of several hundred, start
ed at 1O:3O this morning to march on
the state capital to present to Gov.
e. H. Ammons their demands for the
abolition of the military commission
in the Colorado strike zone and for
tiieSdismissal of certain militia officers
Objectionable to the labor element.
The parade passed through the
principal business section of the CITY,
Upon reaching the capitol, the labor
delegates filed into the senate cham
Der, which had been set aside for their
reception. Governor Ammons and
other state officers then entered the
chamber to hear the complaints and
demands of the convention. The
meeting lasted until nearly clock.
In his address to the delegates, fol-
lowing the formal presentation or
their demands, Governor Ammons de-
clared that he had steadfastly main-
tained a policy of enforcing the laws
and that he would continue to do So
He did not agree to withdraw the
state troops from the strike zone, to
abolish the military commission, nor
to dismiss Adjutant General Chase,
Major Townsend and Judge Advocate
Boughton, against whom charges had
been made by the labor delegates. He
agreed, however, to make a personal
investigation of all charges and asked
the labor convention to appoint a
committee to assist him in this.
The governor declared that there
was no intention on the part of the
state authorities to try prisoners be.
fore a military court, and that all prls-
oners held by order OF the military
commission would be turned over to
the civil authorities at the earliest
practicable date.
He declined, however, to state spe'
cifically when the prisoners would be
turned over
When the meeting was called to
order, President John McLennan, OF
the Colorado State Federation of La
Dor, called upon Eli Gross, chairman
of the policy committee, to state the
demands of the labor delegates. Gross
said that the resolutions adopted by
the convention last night embodied all
the demands and complaints of the Ia
Dor men, and that there was no occa-
sion to enlarge upon them.
John r. Lawson, of the United
Mine Workers of America, said that
the convention wanted to know what
would be the attitude of the governor
with regard to the militia in the strike
zone.
Governor Ammons then took the
floor. He began by saying that he had
received many complaints regarding
the conduct of the militia from var
ious sUurovs, anu mat all were being
"My policy today, as it will be in
the future he continued ''is to en-
force the law. If | had any other
policy | should resign or be made to
do So don't say that have not made
mistakes. I tried to prevent the strike
in every honorable way. followed all
that might bring about a
settlement.
Things were so bad that there was
only one thing for me to do, and that
was to send the troops. I went far
ther than the law gave my power in
keeping strikebreakers from being i'm
ported
when | failed to settle the strike
the only thing to do was to send the
troops, protect the credit of the state
and enforce the laws. I am doing that
now and will do it in the future.
"I am not out for Office and will
never run again. but am going to do
my duty to the fullest extent, regard
less of what happens to me in the fu-
ture.''
In the midst of the governors ad
iress, Eli Gross asked when Robert
Uhlich would be released from jail.
81 can't answer that now," replied
he governor.
In an instant there were Kisses and
:at-calls from some of the delegates.
Chairman Goss pounded with his CAV
il, and when order had been restored
le apologized to the governor for the
John R. Lawson then added his apo
ogies to those of Gross and reproved
he delegates and spectators who had
oined in the kissing.
Attorney General Fred Farrar was
oudly chered, when, in response to
luestions as to the legal status of the
he said that he had dis
lgreed with General Chase. He de-
Jared that in his opinion the military
commission had exceeded its author
ty in holding prisoners in communf-
ado.
Among the speakers We're Mrs. +!
Adolph Germer, wife of leading mine
worker official who was arrested at !
after her husbands ar
est, and Lieut.. Governor Fitzgerald. !