Gunnison news-champion., 1913-10-24
ADVERTISEMENT
i Statement oe tho
Coal Strike Situation

MUCH made Of the alleged asusal If the obv,sus
right II sh< miners to trsae with wsom where
sksy psease. and ~ board where they wil The sns-
simply that the end have
been deu.~d these rights and those who do exactly
they please N this regard given the consider
stsaa hy tbs mine owners other empsoyes
BETTER working conditions in the mines r.
nassasd THIS indefinite all inclusive demand
Csasss'aas this sssss r<coenizsd far better
than in most of Ne Of the Union But the
themselves, less than the miners. JOIN
the hops thss still better conditions may
time progresses Coal mining universally recognized
hazardous and dangerous business hazardous for
the mine and dangerous for the miner But the
owner of coal propsrty is neither bruit fool
Ne viii not knowingly subject his prosperity to d'struc
ton his to Unnecessary danger. Selfish inter
alone dictate q contrary policy Assd< froa this
the egslssure of the recently passed what has
bssn characterized the advanced end stringent
s~ Of any state in the Union regulating the conduct
Of eosl ninss 1t being vigorously enforced BY the
ststs asthorites. with the eeeperstioa VI the mime
sad it will BIZ well TO await the effect Of the
enfsscsHent of this law before giving nsch hsed
- csssess criticisms of existing operating methods
sGsctiag the welfare of the miners and the employers
alike.
The further demand is made BY the leaders Of this
strike thst the employment Of armed guards by the
mine owners be discontinued The owners Of valuable
properties cannot reasonably be expected to comply
with this demand To remove such protection. in the
presence of excited body of striking men, would OBJ
viousy invite wholesale disaster and destruction of
property. Not only So but subject the who
at work in the mines the danger of physical violence
at the hands of the strikers would be positively inhu
man. These ask, expect and entitled to pro-
lection
The mine owners have been forced to employ these
guards; it is Of their choosing The necessity for
1t % being demonstrated daily Their right do so is
not denied and they will continue protect their mines
and their workmen. If the striking miners will keep
away from the property of Others they need fear no
moestation If they insist upon trespassing upon pri-
vste ground they must expect be halted on their
way. Company guards will remain upon company
ground except when compelled to go elsewhere law
full business Men who have left the companies EN-
ployment have right there.
When the leaders of this strike came unsolicited
to Colorado, quite prevailed Business conditions were
bright Today armed violence prevails in many coun-
ties. Financial depression is imminent Since the
inauguration of the strike, have been killed: prop
erty has been destroyed; the lives of men who are
desrous of working in the mines being lily threat
ened mine buildings being fired upon the strikers
have resorted to the of DYNAMITE passenger trains
carrying mails have been stopped and searched by the
strikers the occupants of stages have been dragged
thererom kidnapped and taken strike headquarters
And it will be observed that there instance where
guard or other empoye of coal company has been
charged by the peace officers with assault or other
crime disaster.
The owners of coal mines in this state have no
right to insist that their continue work if they
desire to quit But they have a right to demand that
no property be destroyed by those who do quit work
and that intimidation and coercion of those who desire
to continue at work forthwith cease 1t is high time
that the right of every American citizen and others
to go unmolested where they please and labor when
where and for whom they please be guaranteed in fact
well as in theory.