The Ordway new era., 1915-10-15
STATECAPITAL
NEWS
te~tern Newspaper Union News Service.
GOVERNORS STATEMENT.
Cases Against Strikers Not to Be
Quashed.

Cases Against Strikers Not to Be
Quashed.
Dcnyer.-Governor Carlson has is
sued statement to the public in
which he announced that he would
take no action to end the prosecu-
tions arising out of the recent coal
strike that are now pending in the
courts. The governors statement is
as follows:
For II number of days certain citi-
H"ns have conferred with me win a
View of having stopped the prosecution
"f all pending strike cases.
The unsclfish motives Of thos" wh,
have urged this action upon IN" ithu
me to Civ" the most serious consid"rn-
tion to their requests and during tn"
past two weeks those Interested have
been in almost continuous conicrcn'"
at this office.
"prematurc publication was given
these conferences and hence | feel II
fair to those directly interested ana l."
the pcopl" of the state to declare IN"
policy of this office i'll regard to tn"
matter and to set at rest any con'r"-
versy or speculation which may hay"
been caused by this premature publi,a-
tion.
"On my advent to office found that
Governor Ammons had issued an exec
ItiN, order to The attorney general Or
derinE III" investigation and prosccu-
tlom of all violations of the law gro"
ing out of the coal strike then III
progress.
"Following that order the attorney
general. tn" grand juries Of four ali
fcremi counties and several district al :
torn"ys made Investigations. hear Il
complaints of all who had complaints
to make and would appear before
them. and as result the indictments
in question Were presented.
Il know Of no reason for disregard
ing or bclittling the Judgment OF these
officials and grand juries and c"ntih-
ucd the order made by Governor AM
mons.
Tho thought of this vcxatious after
muth Of conditions In no wise created
by this administration. continuing t.
take the time and energies OF myself
and other stat. officials. was not "a
pleasant one and II continuing this Or
der could have been avoided honorably
certainly it would have been done.
Events since that time have not
changed my opinion and l do not feel
that I can now order the annulment Of
these prosecutions. They We're instituted
i'll good faith and upon evidence suffi-
ci-ntly convincing to the attorney gen
cral, grand juries and the different
district attorneys to warrant bring
ing these defendants to trial.
This is from a legal standpoint.
However. these citizens. already re
fcrred to, have urged my interfercnr"
upon what might be called extra legal
considerations OF so-called peace,
as a justification for the action which
it was hoped | would take. To find
answer to these arguments | do not
desire to review the history of the
strike and the terrible nature of the
crimes committed for which the de-
PENDANTS now stand under Indictment
1T will be sufficient to remind our
ritizens that state sovereignty was lost
and that federal troops were sent here
to protect the state from organized
These Indict ments will be subject to
he double check of juries. troal and re-
those charged with guilt will receive
vindication.
THE only question for me was to
decide whether or not those who wcr"
legally charged with crime should be
turned loos" without trial for those
cNtrn-lega reasons given.
1T has been asserted that such n
course would put an end to the agIta-
tiOn that is going on in certain quar-
t"rs. and leave this stat" in Il more
peaceful condition.
"Granting that such n result would
follow. il is in effect to say that u
group of persons can commit any crim"
and receive immunity If they raise suf-
ficicnt agitation to disturb our peac" "t
mind. do not believe that our CIti-
zens ar" willing to purchase mental
pence at such n price.
1T has been said that it would l."
the n"rciful thing to dO-and yet as
justice should b" tempered with mercy
so should mercy b" tempered VIII II jus
ticc. and what justice has been dom"
society if thos- charged with mur'ie-
and arson ar" allowed to L" frc" vii h
ont trial?
9TH" wholesale character Of thcsc
crimes does not depriv" them OF their
criminHlitN: instead. il increases tn"
"ff"nsc because 1t increases tn" danger
to society.
II was elected upon platform
which. among other things. promised
to restore tn" stale Sovereignty upon
n firm basis.
I'm my b"'i"f the only way This can
be done Is to punish any person or pei
sons who attack that snvcr, igntE.
Il cannot So. any deterrent of fu-
tur" crimes of the s.InI' nature ii ihusr
of the past are to be c"nhon"d and for
gotten.
1T has been urged that SO long as
these cases are pending business VIII
he Stagnant and that foreign capital
Will not come into the state.
I'm my opinion. capital never viii III.
vest in this stat" until 1t iS demon
stratcd that attacks upon lif" and prop
"rty viii not he tolerated and This can
not be demonstrated by turning l"uS"
persons charged with such crimes.