Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-07


late Governor John L. Barstow in 1885, have merely hint
of the situation which has prevailed the civil cenered
in the mining district of southern Colorado In our own
Ely Goddard thought the miners about to de-
stroy his copper mines and the militia called out to
tect the property the trouble lasting only day two and
without serious results In 1847 when the Vermont Central
railroad process of construction trouble the
town of Bolton, which resulted in the calling out of the mill
tia. The rngeaders arrested and the riot ended
In Colorado the total death list has already reached 100
according to all accounts compared with sixteen in
ton with the operations of the United States fleet and land
forces at Vera Cruz The call Of Governor Ammons upon
Secretary of War Garrison for federal troops aid
the Colorado militia is but of various indications of
prehension of further serious conflict
In this terrible contingency it is the duty of all classes
to study well the situation in order that the present trouble
be stopped and buwarks erected against conditions
leading to similar outbreaks in the future not only in Col
orado but throughout the country as we'll
Soon after the strike began in September in Las Ami
and Huerfano counties the New Mexican ine with
thousands of miners ou both private guards Of the coal
mine and many of the strikers procured and
ammunition. This the first mistake for when two
armed bodies Of hostile put in close proximity
ict is almost certain to follow demonstrated at Vera
Cruz by Americans and Mexicans well Colorado
mining
If at the very outset both sides had been willing to at
tempt first to adjust grievances through committees by
arbitration in all human probability the wholesale desruc
ton of life and the class hatred aroused might have been
averted.
Many attempts have been made to end the strike, in
Guiding those of Governor Ammons and conference of
twenty-five Colorado editors but they all confronted
by the firm refusal of the operators deal with the miners
as an organization The conflict accompanied by many
battles between the miners and the guards incidents lead
ing to the deportation of Mother JONES' putting
mining district under martial law the running of the mines
with non-union with 1000 militia guard the
tabshing of military commission, the calling of sympa-
thetc strike by a State convention and so
The Portland Oregonan long ago February criti
csed the Colorado authorities largely responsible for the
strike through their failure to enforce the State Lining
laws and suggested State consabulary to render
the employment of private guards The Denver
Express declared that GAS advocate of anarchy Governor
Ammons merits the severest condemnation Other papers
hold the strikers fully blame Whereas usually happens
both sides have probably erred
The protracted struggle eliminated April 20 in the
slaughter at Ludlow with the burning of the camp where
the strikers lived with their families with attacks the
mnes with line twelve miles long held by hundreds of min
against the militia with two dead including most
y and children who lost their lives the pits of
under the reswep Tents One side claims that this
immediate trouble started when the strikers killed
union MINER others assert that the militia shot srk
The Denver Mining and Financial Record says it is
important that the State definitely discover whether this
affair has been Of administrative nature the work of
private corporation, the blunder Of plain fool
Following this conflict additional militia hur-
red to the though many refused to to fight
children" The State Federation of Labor called it's
members to defense of the miners Other battles
followed Forbes where eleven guards and four strikers
wound.
President Wilson, having been importuned by Cover
Ammons for help issued request through Congress-
Foster to John D Rockefeller Jr that action be
taken which would lead to immediate settlement Mr.
Rockefeller in statement reply declared that the efforts
Of few union leaders and followers to unionze the mines
is matter of principle which could concede arb
trae" Mr.. Rockefeller says the operators will not yield
inch while the awess elements leading assaults
persons and property"
William Greene secretary treasurer of the order, de-
clares Mr. Rockefeers statement absolutely inaccurate
when he the company before the strike settled the five
points of eghthour day. semi monthly pay check weigh
regulation of the company monopoly stores and in
creased wages Had these points been conceded a. the
time stated by Mr. Rockefeller the strike would have
been naugurated He not hide behind the
unionzng of the mines the real of conten-
ton"
Meanwhile the ordering of United States troops to the
of the Colorado has ended for the the
prospect of immediate further fighting and the Presidents
proclamation calling for cessation of bloodshed and violence
and the return Of all good citizens to their homes is being
obeyed all except those whose homes have been burned