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Thm Commoner
JULY 1, 1901
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IT SEEMS to bo generally agreed that the
republican national convention for 1904 was
the tamest political gathering in the nation's his
tory. "Whatever enthusiasm was displayed ap
peared to be provided for in advance and en
tirely of a "worked up" character. Oplo Reed,
the novelist, speaking to a correspondent for the
Burlington (la.) Hawkeye, says: "No longer did
it look like the 'jerker beef of politics. Rich in
decoration and inspired with music, there was a
reminder of those days when giants fought for
national leadership. Every man, though he looked
as if he had prearranged what was to bo done,
bore the appearance of seeking to hide it from
his neighbor. Thus, by silent agreement, the plot
was kept hidden. Back into momentary view of
the nation's winking and forgetful eye, there
came the visage of many an old timer with mind
stored rich with memories. -But with all of its
wealth of tradition, this is purely a convention
of the present, commercialized by self-conscious
mediocrity. Looking no matter whither could one
find a place for sentiment. There was in the air
no quiver of expectancy, and out of the past no
plumed knight could ride, except upon the pale
steed of reminiscence. Occasionally there was an
outburst of applause, like an improvised water
fall." A NOVEL reunion took place at Paris, 111., June
18. The Paris correspondent for the New
York World says: '"Daniel G. Burr, aged eighty
four, a survivor of company H. Fourth regiment,
recruited here June 4, 1846, for the war with Mex
ico, hold a 'reunion' all by himself today in the
Fair grounds here. As he had done annually for
forty years, he called the roll of his company from
the original roll lie had written with a quill pon,
and of which he had custody as orderly sergeant
of the company. S'everal times in recent years
he has held a reunion by himself. He is now the
only survivor of his company. He reads the
names, some forty in number, and when he calls
his own he answers 'Here.' It is the only name
to which there is a response;"'
RECENTLY Paul Morton, son of the late
J. Sterling Morton, announced that he had
joined the republican party. The announcement,
did not create great surprise because for many
years Mr. Morton has affiliated with the republi
can party. Soon after this announcement was
made, the Washington Post stated that Mr. Roose
velt had formally invited Mr. Morton to become
secretary of the navy. It is announced that Mr.
Morton will accept and he is now arranging his
private business with this purpose in view.
IN THE federal court of St. Louis Judge
Thayer issued a writ of habeas corpus for
Charles H. Moyer, president of the Western Fed
eration of Miners. Governor Peabody was notified
by wire of Judge Thayer's action and immediately
released Moyer, turning him over to the Colorado
civil authorities. Later Moyer was arrested on the
charge of being implicated in the Vindicator mine
explosion of November last and the civil authori
ties of one county turned him over to the civil
authorities of another county. Moyer's friends
claim that Governor Peabody delivered Moyer to
the civil authorities in ordor to escape the federal
court process. The habeas corpus writ is made
returnable July 5 before Judge Thayer, and the
Colorado governor will have to make an explana
tion at that time.
THE authorities at Cripple Creek have an
nounced that no one will bo permitted to
furnish supplies to tho families of deported min
ers without permission from the authorities. Sev
eral merchants at Cripple Creek who have been
providing provisions for the miners' families have
been notified to cease this work. Another inter
esting outcome of the great strike is an organized
boycott that has been commenced against the
Denver News and Denver Times. It seems that
the News and Times have expressed opinions that
do not exactly suit the mine owners and those who
sympathize with' them. Consequently a number
of large advertisers of Denver have withdrawn
their patronage from these newspapers.
6NT GOPICS
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UNITED STATES Senator Patterson is the
owner of the Denver News, a morning pa
per, and tho Denver Times, an evening paper. Ho
does not show any inclination to surrender. In
an editorial printed in tho Nows, Senator Patter
son said: "The management fully understands
the nature of tho conflict that has been precipi
tated upon it. It will bo deprived of many thou
sands of dollars' worth of business beforo tho
contest ends. It will quito likely bo forced to draw
upon its reserves, but, thank God, it has reserves,
and after them property, and after them credit,
but it has not the word 'submission' in its vocab
ulary. Yet it must depend upon tho plain peoplo
of Denver and Colorado for strength and courage.
It is fighting their battle. A free and independent
press at the capital of the state is all tho min
ing and departmental store oligarchy fears. Lot
tho entire Denver press bo muzzled, and when
tfie time comes to drive out troublesome Ameri
can Federation unions, with the militia at their
command and a debauched and muzzled press, tho
end of the conflict cannot bo obscured. Tho plain
people of tho state can render the News and the
Times material assistance in tho flght thoy are
malting for thom. They can in .part compensate
for the destruction of revenue through tho boy
cott by giving them tho aid of their subscriptions.
Will those who need a morning paper subscribe
for the News and those who prefer an evening
paper subscribe for the Times? If they will but do
this the management will not fear the outcome."
REPRESENTATIVES' of the mine owners have
sought to make It appear that the resort
to violence has been entirely on the side of the
mine workers. In his News editorial, Senator Pat
terson throws new light on this subject. Ho says:
"Desperate characters in the employment of tho
mine owners' association planned tho derailment
of a train and actually pulled the spikes and
charged the attempt to kill a trainload of in
nocent peoplo upon tho Federation. The ac
cused was promptly discharged by a jury upon
Which there was not a member of a miners' union,
and the self-confessed villain tho employe of tho
mine owners association, was soon afterward set
at liberty. Never has there been a more merci
less and desperate campaign to embitter public
opinion against a body of men already in bad
odor by reason of unpopular strikes than was
this one against the Western Federation of Min
ers." AVERY important point Is made by Senator
Patterson when referring to tho dynamiting
of the Independence depot. It will be remembered
that the mine workers say they aro not at all re
sponsible for this disaster and they have openly
charged that the depot was dynamited by detec
tives in the employ of the mine owners. On this
point, Senator Patterson says: "The public will
recall that for a month and more before the fatal
June G, when news of tho Independence dynamite
horror was flashed throughout the country, there
was a state of almost profound peace in Cripple
Creek and Telluride except for the Tellurlde de
portations. Many of the papers of the state com
menced to speak hopefully of a settlement. Above
everything else, the federation wished a settle
ment. A settlement of any kind short of the de
struction of their unions would have been re
ceived as a happy deliverance from its dilemma.
The supreme court was about to render its deci
sion in the Moyer case. The federation's attorneys
never doubted that the decision would be in
Moyer's favor. It is no exaggeration to say that
four out of every five lawyers in the state believed
that Moyer would be set at liberty. If that should
be the decision then military rule and the bull
pen would end and a settlement of some satisfac
tory nature would be reached. Who can deny that
this was the situation up to 2 a. m. on June 6,
when the horror occurred? To believe that tho
Western Federation would under such circum
stances, with such hopes to buoy them up in their
campaign of non-resistance, with prospects of
some satisfactory settlement if the court's decision
were to be in their favor, which they did not
doubt would countenance, much less plan and
carry 'out the wholesale murder of non-union min
ers by such an explosion, or otherwise, is to
charge that they were devoid of reason and had
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degenerated into a moro pack of prowling human
wolves ready to jump headlong to thoir own de
struction. It is not claimed that somo federation
minors may not havo dono tho deed, yet It may not
havo bcou."
IS explained by Senator Patterson that it
may havo been, for wholesale murder was
not lntouded and that somo ono not In sympathy
may uo guilty. Ho admits that ovgrylhlng must bo
conjectured until tho proofs, If any aro gathered,
are given to tho public; but ho contends that tho
fact that tho federation as an organization U
charged with tho deed surpasses all human cre
dulity. Sonator Patterson concludes: "Howovcr
that may bo, tho citlzons alliance and mine own
ers' association and tho military In tho district
wore prompt to take advantage of tho torriblo
frenzy that followed tho docd. Everything was
directod to a certain end. With tho public mind
in tho state of acuto hostility to which tho news
paper campaign had brought It, It was easy to
guido It for tho ond that tho mlno ownors' asso
ciation had announqcd from tho first was the only
possible settlement tho driving out of tho unions
and the complete obliteration of tho Western Fed
eration from tho district. How unerringly that
campaign has boon conductod! Co-operative un
ion stores were looted and dismantled, democratic
officials were forced to resign at tho threatoned
peril of tho hangman's nooso, and tho rovolvor.
Tho appointment of officials thoroughly In sym
pathy with the association's avowed purpose, tho
arrest of federation miners by tho hundreds, thoir
deportation from tho stato by tho hundreds, tho
detention of scores In military prisons, tho arrest
and Incarceration .of the local attorney of the fed
oration just as ho was about to commence pro
ceedings that might stop tho onforced exodus, tho
destruction of tho ofllco of the federation's news
paper organ, and finally tho signing of the pledge
of the entire business community of tho district
that under no circumstances would a member of
any union in sympathy with the Western Federa
tion bo employed in any business or calling were
somo of the fruits of tho campaign Inaugurated."
""
UNTIL recently, the Pennsylvania Railroad
company had on Its pay rolls about 113,000
men. The Philadelphia correspondent for the New
York World says that this number has already
been cut down until It Is well within 100,000. Ho
adds that President Cassatt has Issued an order
laying olf at least 5,000 moro men and he quotes
one of the vice presidents of the road as saying:
"It is the purpose of tho Pennsylvania railroad to
reduce Its working force to keep paco with tho
reduction in tho volume of freights throughout
the system. When the scalding-down process will
stop wo cannot tell; wo hope It will bo soon, but
wo see no reason to bo hopeful. For the present,
the situation moans that wo must make an addi
tional reduction to the force by at least 5,000 em
ployes." "
THE republican national convention for 1904.
was In session for three days. Tho New York,
Criobe says: "The longest convention in our his
tory was that which nominated Douglas in I860.
This met first in Charleston, S. C, and after ten
days of fruitless wrangling and balloting ad
journed to meet later In Baltimore. On reassem
bling, it consumed four days in nominating Doug
las. The next longest conventions were those of
-the republicans which nominated Garfield in 1S80
and Harrison in 1888. Each of them was in ses
sion six days. In tho former, four days were
spent in the preliminary arrangements and in dis
cussion over tho unit rule, which Senator Conk
ling wished to have adopted to aid him in hi
effort to nominate Grant for a third term. The
convention met on Wednesday and did not nornl-
nate till the following Tuesday. The convention
of 1888 met on Wednesday and nominated on the
following Monday. Next in length of sitting was
the democratic convention of 1868, which met in
Tammany hall and nominated Horatio S'eymour.
'This assembled on the Fourth of July, which wag
Saturday. It began balloting on Tuesday and
nominated on Thursday. The convention whicli
nominated Harrison for a second term sat four
days, as did that which nominated Blaine in 1884.