Denver labor bulletin., 1916-08-26
Squelching a Pest

| Perhaps the most stinging rebuke eveI
| meted out to a trouble maker in a labor
meeting was that given John NJ. O'Neill
editor manager of the discredited Trini.
| dad Free Press, at the twenty first an
| nual convention of the State Federation
| OF Labor in Colorado Springs last week
John had been accumulating a load OF
vengeance for several weeks, and it was
| his declared purpose to bust things wide
| OPEN when he reached Colorado Springs
| In fact he had so told the twenty seven
readers of his paper and written letter
to The Bulletin to the same effect. By
some sort OF legerdemain he secured ere
| dentials as delegate, and was per-
mitted to qualify, tho he is said to have
grossly insulted the committee on label
| investigation by his customary vulgarity.
On Monday he submitted two resolu-
tions. one attacking the Pueblo Trades
and Labor Assembly, the other that the
Federation withdraw official endorse
ment of The Denver Labor Bulletin.
These were referred to the Committee
on Grievance, and John made a bombas-
tic argument covering nearly three hours
before the committee Wednesday night,
while no one deigned TO even dignity his
resolutions by q protest.
Vi course, the committee refused to
give them favorable consideration and
they were reported out to the conven-
tion Thursday morning.
Editor-Manager John, who shamelesslv
accepted q small part of the Railroad
Association of Managers 100000 fund
to fight tho eight-hour demands of the
railroad brotherhoods, arose and asked
that his propositions be made a special
order Immediately after the noon recess
There was no objection.
EditorN Manager John. who also is said
to aspire to become editor and thereby
wreck the United Mine Workers Journal,
then asked permission to bring in a stem
ographer to take his remarks on the two
propositions, which said remarks he es-
timated would cover a period of one
hour and thirty minutes.
There was no objection.
When the afternoon session opened.
Editor Manager John, who has been
branded liar by resolutions unanimous
ly adopted by the Pueblo Trades and
Labor Assembly. arose from the ostra-
csed position he had held since the first
day, and asked that two men he had
brought into the hall be permitted to
make statements to the convention in
the nature of testimony
There was no objection.
\ delegate then asked if Editor-AIan-
ager John was ready to proceed with his
fireworks.
John said he was.
Then Delegate Lee Tanquary of Pueblo
arose and quietly said:
Mr.. President. | move that this en-
tire proposition of Delegate O'Neill be
laid upon the table and allowed to re-
main there forever"
Seconds from all over the hall
Editor Manager O'Neill, who wrecked
the Miners Magazine OF the Western
Federation of Miners, began to explode.
'The motion to lay on the table Is
not debatable," declared President Nc
Lehman, bringing down his brand rssw
union made gavel with a resoundinc
whack. "All those in favor of tabling
this entire proposition will please rise" ("
Apparently everybody in the conven-
ton except Editor Manager John, his two
Statement men," and the expensive tho
useless stenographer, stood up.
THE motion to table prevails" an
nounced the president.
As soon as he could arouse his numbed
muscles and voice to action, Editor Man
ager John, who holds the belt for being
the prize blatherskite OF Colorado, walked
down the middle aisle and shouted:
"Mr. President, / herewith resign as
a delegate to this rotten convention"
Applause. catcalls and Kisses all over
the hall.
"And when ] compose myself / will
write my opinion of this convention and
tell it in print in the Free Press so that
my readers may know" shrieked Editor
Manager John
Tell both of them said Delegate w.
s. Wilson of Denver out loud
And with this parting shot Editor
Manager John O'Neill made his exit. He
Immediately returned to Trinidad and
renewed an effort to convince the post
Office inspectors that he has a subscrip-
tion list and that the second-class mail
franchise of the Free Press should not
be lifted by the postoffice department..
The atmosphere was noticeably purer
for his going. and the convention re-
sumed the orderly procedure of business,
having devoted less than cen mInuues 10
the outcast who sought to engender
strife among Colorado labor men and
women.