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Conference of Colorado Operators and Strikers Fail,
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25)
organization, and the very best argument a Colorado
coal operator would want.
"The Wyoming miners are not going to violate
their agreement, and our organization does'nt expect,
or want, them to do so."
Nov. 21 Gov. E. M. Ammons received a telegram
from Secretary of Labor Wilson at Evanston,
Wyo., saying he woul arrive on that day and his
services would be at the disposal of the governor
in the settlement of the strike of coal miners in
southern Colorado.
The governor was disappointed on the same day
by the failure of a proposed conference between
fhe mine operators and the union officials to discuss
a strike settlement.
"Until today I have been very sanguine that a
settlement of some so; t could be reached, but I
see no hope now," said the governor. I may
even have to ask the federal government for aid.
There is nothing left for me to do but enforce the
law rigidly and impartially."
Nov. 21 lignite prices in Denver were cut 50
cents per ton and bituminous prices 25 cents per
ton and it was reported that a congestion of
loaded coal cars was noticeable in the railroad
yards.
Nov. 22 the operators sent a letter to the special
committee of the chamber of commerce, setting
forth their reasons for refusing to recognize the
United Mine Workers. The letter is signed by
J. F. Welborn, president of the Colorado Fuel &
Iron Co.; D. XV. Brown, vice president of the
Rocky Mountain Fuel Co., and J. C. Osgood, chairman
of the board of directors of the Victor-American
Fuel Co. They set forth their reasons for
refusing to recognize the union as follows:
"Among the specific reasons which actuate us in
our refusal to confer with these men may be mentioned
the following:
"Because the only essential to the normal operation
of our coal mines and the return of normal
prices for coal is the strict
MAINTENANCE OF LAW
and order and the protection of our employes and
property from acts of violence. A conference with
them is neither necessary nor can it be effective
to bring about these conditions, but it can be
brought about by the energetic action of the civil
authorities and enlightened public sentiment.
"Because the only public demands of these men
are 'a living wage and enforcement of the state
laws.' They already have a living wage, as
proven by our published pay rolls and the fact
that our wage scale is 20 per cent, higher than in
unionized states, such as Kansas and Oklahoma,
with which our coal competes. We are fully
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 55
complying with the laws of the state, but if not,
it is the duty of the civil authorities to enforce.
"Because a conference with them would only be
used by them to prolong the strike by telling their
followers that favorable negotiations were pending,
thus influencing them from returning to work,
which many of them are ready to do, and causing
our employes who have been loyal and are now
working, including many of our superintendents
and their assistants, to quit work, as they have
all been notified by the union organizers that
when the strike is settled they would be driven
from the mines and from the state.
"Because their sole purpose and only demand before
the strike was called, as well as now, was
that we should enter into a contract with them,
practically giving them control of our business and
forcing our employes who are not members of
their organization, to join it or leave our employ,
and that our mines, which have been operated
more than 30 years upon the open shop principle,
should be closed to all except members of their
organization. Nothing can be gained by discussing
this proposition. We intend to operate our
mines upon the open shop plan or not at all.
"Because the United Mine Workers of America
is an unincorporated, irresponsible and purely voluntary
association without any standing in the
financial world. Neither we nor any other body
of business men can be expected even to consider
making with it any
CONTRACT OF ANY CHARACTER,
much less one of the importance of that now presented
for our signatures. The officers of this
organization toncede that their contract does not
bind their individual members and it is a notorious
fact that contracts heretofore made in this
and other states aie broken at will by the union
leaving the operators without any legal or other
relief. Mr. Kountz signed such a contract and
after five years preferred to sacrifice his coal business
rather than continue to operate under a union
contract.
"Because more than 50 per cent, of the mine
workers in our employ at the time the strike was
called, September 23, are still at work and these
men in no way represent our employes who are
now working.
"Because, of the men they claim to represent, a
large number have been guilty of violence ancl
other unlawful acts ancl therefore will not be
employed by us. and of the remainder, a large
number would return to work at once if they
were not intimidated by therats and acts of violence
instigated by the officers and agents of the
United Mine Workers of America.
"Because the officers of the United Mine Workers
have instigated a reign of terror in the coal