The chronicle=news., 1914-12-03
PATTERSON A WITNESS TELLS o.
EFFORTS MADE TO BRING
settlement To COLORADO
C0AI :. !s::I:!ER.!|kE $! IT.! |!!|!EE;
Tells of Conferences With Mlu.. and Opera
tors and Reuiews History of Labor Wars.
State Mine Inspector James Dalrymple
Testifes.

in the Cripple Creek district. After
There had been some violence the
state troops We're called ont. There
was an attitude onthe part of the
owners of unyieldiEg resistance to
the strikers. and a desire to get rid
of them.
He told how soldiers lined up in
a court room and how the adJutant
general Sherman Bell. at the COM
mand of Governor Peabody. refused
TO release strikers when ordered TO
do so by the court. The prisoners
later were deported out of the state,
said tie witness.
Senator Patterson said the pres
ont strike seemed a continuation Of
the strike in the northern field,
which began in 1910. There, the wit
ness said. the operators refused to
conc EIDE to the demands of the union
and stockaded their properties.
There was considerable violence
land some shooting, but Governor
Shafrotn managed to get along with
out calling out the troops. lie real
lied that the militia would accentu-
ate tho troubles and believed the
wiser course was to let the strike
wear itself cut.
The strike spread to the southern
district | have no doubt the miners
sought TO install union men III tn"
southern fields. The men out in the
northern flelds were on the strike
benefit list OF the national organiza-
tion. This was very expensive, aid
| | imagine the national organization
felt tina. it must involve the southern
| fields and proceeded along that line.
FOR several months before the south
ern strike they must have succeedeh
in Installing a considerable number
of union men in the southern mihes
I-perhaps % per cent of the whole
number employed.
OF his nrsi conference with Gov
crnor Ammons and the nntlonai Oh
ficers OF the United Mine Workers
| of America the witness said the MN
ers had said that they were ready to
make numerous concessions.
! Governor Ammons then called IN
to conference the operators, headeu
by j. f. Welborn. j. c. Osgood and -.
| w. Brown. who. according to the
| witness, told Governor Ammons that
| they would have no conference win
| the officials OF the United Mine
Workers OF America but would ;alk
with the working miners themselves
Another conference with the mine
officials followed and the answer OF
the operators was given them.
|
the witness. y. p. White, president
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea. said IF the operators will grant
us conference we know that TINS
strike will be settled.
Il said to him DO you recognize
the import of your language? DO
yol realize the operators will not
recognize the union? A fair infer
cncc is that you are willing to waive
everything for that recognition.
Mr.. White repeated his state
ment. said the witness.
I'VE then called in the operators
and said These men say II you VIII
grant them n conference they know
the strike will be settled, and that
must mean that they will waive ev-
crythin.. They are in an adjoining
room here
"The Operators said No. that
these men were intorlopers and that
they did not belong in the state. !
said 4 don't think you have a right
to say this. They are the national
officials of the local union. They
can not be stigmatized on that
ground The men have right to be
heard by whomsoever they choose
They said to confer with them
meant recognition. said. No If
YOU confer and do not agree they are
as far as ever from recognition One
operator remarked, If they come in
to this room We would go out of it.
Il said to the operators. suppose
I Governor AmmOnS writes you let
ter containing what we believe to be
the demands of the miners. and pre-
pares II letter to these men for YOU.
but addressed to the governor and we
submit this letter to you for amend
ment. The letter containing the
miners demands will be signed by
the governor They agreed to that
provided no reference was made to
the recognition OF the union.
"In the letter by the governor for
Il the miners. Governor Ammons and !