Denver labor bulletin., 1916-07-29
Frank P. Walsh Writes
Tart Letter to Rockefeller
On Jeff Fdrr Decision

One of the most scathing letters ever
written was that sent by Frank =. Walsh,
chairman of the United States Commit
tee on Industrial Relations, to John d.
Rockefeller, Jr., asking what he is going
to do about the corrupt politics in his
coal camps establised thru the Colorado
State Supreme Court decision, later sus-
tanned by the United States Supreme
Court. ousting Sheriff jefferson Farr
and other officials in Huerfano county.
Walshs letter and young Rockefeller's
telegram in reply are as follows:
Walsh's Letter to John D., Jr.
July IL, 1915.
Mr.. John d. Rockefeller, Jr.,
20 Broadway,
New York City. n. Y.
Sir-The Committee on Industrial Re-
lations has just received from the Su-
preme Court OF Colorado, which is the
court of last resort of that state, It's
opinion and judgment in the Colorado
election cases. in which your conduct
and that of your associates is branded
as anarchitsic, fraudulent and destruc-
tive OF free institutions.
Thus far YOU seem to have paid no
attention TO that judicial condemnation.
The court in its judgment found that
the notorious Sheriff Jeff Farr was your
agent.
The court placed the direct responsible
ity for the most revolving political and
industrial corruption directly Mt the door
of the company. 1t declared that the
public election machinery had been
turned over to the absolute domination
and imperial control of your company,
and was used by them as absolutely
and privately as were their mines, to
and for their own private purposes"
Throttling Public Opinion.
The situation thus created was de-
clared to the court to be so repugnant
to the spirit of free government as to be
inconceivable," and that Its certain re-
suit would be the destruction of popular
government"
Among other crimes found by the court
to have been committed by this organ
ization were the throttling OF public
opinion. the denial Of the exercise OF
choice by Roycreign electors, the dictA-
ton and control OF all election officers,
the sitting Of public discussion, the i'm
perial designation as 20 what citizens
could or could not peacefully enter upon
public territory, the prostitution Of tho
ballot: and the court adjudged that such
corrupt practices absolutely destroyed
the free, open and fair election ns con.
templnted by the constitution"
All Of these offen-cs, you will note,
were committed after you had assumed
charge in Colorado by sending your as.
sociaies there. and after you had hired
Mr. W. L. Mackenzie King to formulate
a plan thst would protect" the rights Of
the men in your coal camps. whose lib.
ertis at that very moment were being
ruthlessly destroyed.
Forging Chains o. Tyranny.
OF the plea that what your company
did in Colorado was on account of in
dustrial necessity the court said; 1T
is sufficient TO cause every liberty low
ing American citizen to shuddcr In con.
temptation of the possibility that the
private industrial necessity" of some
industrial company or corporation, en-
ploying large numbers OF men. may thus
determine the policies or the fate OF the
republic"
The learned judges of the court close
their opinion with this ominious warn
ing:
The links in the chains Of tyranny
are usually forged singly and silently,
sometimes unconsciously, by those who
are destined To wear them"
The findings of the court were based
upon the sworn testimony of the gen
cral manager in charge OF all the Rock
efeller mining properties in Colorado,
who still retains control and thereby
your authority, and thereby has auto.
cratic control over the lives OF thou
sands of your workers and their. de.
pendents.
Tools of Rockefeller System
Until the men and women OF Colorado
unite to destroy the absolute domina.
tion which you and your company er-
crcise thru control of the natural re-
sources of that state, your individual
power and responsibility must be rec
ognizcd. Inasmuch ns the court has
ousted from Office by this decision all OF
the officials whom they could reach by
law, and in view of the fact that these
men were found to have been mere tools
and subordinates of the company, We
submit that the plain duty now de.
wolves upon you to discharge immedi.
atcly those of your agents and employees
found in this decision to have been
guilty OF these crimes against free gov
crnment, to the end that the workers in
the employ of your company may cxer-
else their sovereignty freely and take
part in the election of judicial and ad-
mnistrative officers which is gunran-
teed to them by the constitutions OF
Colorado and the United States.
Yours truly,
FRANK p. WALSH,
Chairman, Committee on Industrial