United labor bulletin., 1914-05-02
THE OPTIMISTIC
PHILOSOPHER

| It's an awful strain, this writing an
Optimistic Philosopher column with the
present war atmosphere permeAting even
unto the sanctum Of The Bulletin office.
Everyone who comes in insists on being
directed to the nearest recruiting sta
tion OF the Workers' Defense League
or having resolutions printed that
breathe birthstone in every sentence
since the union printers declared in fa-
vor OF war last week every other union
IN town has been trying to 90 the typos
one better, and it is estimated by those
coming to this office that $4,000 armed
men have been ready any moment this
week to take the field and drive the
Rockefeller gunner across tn border
into Kansas, Texas and New Mexico.
But the union leaders have been preach
ing peace and exerting every effort to
avoid further bloodshed, in the hope
that way would be found to estab-
lish permanent peace in Colorado. John
Lawson. John McLennan and Ed Doyle.
policy committee of the United Mine
Workers. have worked like Trojans and
succeeded amazingly In holding their
men in leash. This is all the more re-
markable when it is remembered that
the striking miners are made up of 80
different nationalities.
Mother" Jones arrived in Denver Sun.
day just in time for the big mass meet
ing at the Capitol grounds and made
the most conservative speech of the day.
With the rain dripping from her gray
hair this s2-year-old patriarch was
greeted with a frenzy of welcome. She
told of the governors trip to Washing
ton:
IF Governor Ammons took half the
interest in the childhood of this state
that he does in the trees" she said, 'then
we would have had no Ludlow massa-
ere. Think of it, / found him prapc-
ing around Washington talking about
trees, Think of it, Trees And see
what has been going on here with the
children OF the state. This is no civil
war. nor is this a political game; it is
an industrial war. Washington is
aroused. They as well as we are be-
ginning to wake up to things. The
whole world is waking up and the day
when the interests of few men can
wipe out men and women and children
is coming to an end. The day of Gov
ernor Ammons is coming to an end He
will not much longer be able to play
the fiddle of the big interests. This is
the labor mans war and the labor man
is going to win. II took Ludlow to
wake up the country. but now that il
is awake it won't doze off to sleep until
n few thing sare settled"
-:
All day Saturday more than thou
sand Denver women camped in the
State House. demanding that the mer-
curial governor take decided action to
bring about n cessation of the war in
the strike district and halt made of
the slaughter of innocent men. women
and children by Rockefeller armed
thugs and gunmen. For IL hours he de-
layed, parleyed and lodged the response
bility. but the determined women never
wayered for moment. In the hall OF
the House of Representatives they made
speeches denouncing the dilntory policy
of the governor in this great crisis. Most
OF these women came from Capitol Hill
and are not supposed to be bloodthirsty;
yet, before Ammons would appear be-
fore them in the hall he sent to police
headquarters for bodyguard. Peter
Carr and p. ]. O'Conner. plain clothes
men. were detailed by Chief O'Neill to
protect the governor from his own evil
imaginations. Several traffic policemen
were stationed in the Capitol corridors.
Remember the women and children who
were massacred at Ludlow!" was con-
stantly dinned into the recreant execu-
tive's ears. When he appeared before
the women it was with a pale face and
shaking, and to ask for delay. But the
women could not be discouraged and
made to leave the Capitol Near 10
o'clock that night the governor capitu-
lated and sent a telegram to President
Wilson. stating he was unable to cope
with the situation and requesting fed
eral intervention.
late beloved Chief Justice Steele of the
State Supreme Court. was a central fig
ure in the woman's meeting and she was
selected to present the resolutions to the
governor demanding immediate action.
In an address she declared the infamous
'Moyer decision" giving the governor
power to suspend the writ of habeas
corpus, written by Judge Gabbert and
concurred in by majority of the court,
was responsible for the deplorable con-
dition of affairs now wrecking this
state. II was in minority opinion on
this case that Justice Steele wrote
classic that has become the accepted
rule of all fair and impartial judicial
tribunals He declared against the des-
potism of Peabody as his widow on
last Saturday protested the tyranny Of
Ammons. The spirit of the dead justice
breathed forth living words through the
lips of this beloved woman. But they
had small effect upon a governor con-
trolled body and soul by the corpora
tions.
80
Governor Ammons' return to Colora-
do from Washington. where he went to
plead for more privilege for the syndi-
Gates which seek to control natural re-
sources in this and other Western states,
-.eI..t.J M crod;f nm fho chief exnc,,-