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Sunday March 25, 1906
From Nation's Capital: Reporter Warns, "Labor Is Stirred to Its Depths"

The Pittsburg Evening Leader of Kansas, yesterday, carried a report from an unnamed Washington correspondent warning of labor's response should Charles Moyer and William D. Haywood be railroaded to the gallows:

Labor Is Stirred to the Depths
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Hanging of Colorado Officials Would
Cause Industrial War
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Congress Is Urged to Investigate
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Washington, March 24.-The arrest of the high officers of the Western Federation of Miners in Colorado and their removal to Idaho to answer to the charge of the murder of ex-Governor. Steunenburg is stirring the depths of labor circles throughout the United States, and is interesting most intensely a great number of magazine writers and reformers, whose attention heretofore has been concentrated in labor troubles in Colorado and the extraordinary events associated with the governorship of Mr. Peabody. There was a mass meeting held yesterday, in which practically all of the labor unions were largely represented, to protest against what was termed in the hand bills distributed for the meeting "the dastardly outrage to their fellow workers, Charles H. Moyer and W. D. Haywood, president and secretary of the Western Federation of Miners."

Meetings of the same nature were in progress in New York and many other of the large Eastern cities at the same time.

A very considerable sum of money was raised at the meeting here to assist in the defense of the accused.

Thinks Arrest Irregular.
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I have never given the Colorado situation following the Idaho homicide a thorough investigation, and I am not familiar with the merits of the controversy between the mine owners and the Western Federation, but I am profoundly impressed with the deep-seated conviction entertained by the mass of working people and by a very considerable element of tradesmen that the present prosecution of the federation leaders in reality appears persecution. Why this is I cannot say, except that the serious irregularity attending the arrest of the men in Colorado and their sudden and secret transportation to Idaho has colored the whole body of the proceedings against them.

But upon the one the hand the literature sent out by the news association from Idaho has, quite regardless of what the truth may be, convinced the employing class that the charges are well founded.

Influences of Reports.

A magazine writer of note, in talking with a high government official on Friday, called his attention to the alleged arrogant encroachments of the great moneyed interests throughout the country, and their constantly recurring attacks upon laws and institutions that exist for the protection of the people, irrespective of class conditions. "Ah," replied this official, "grant what you say to be true of the moneyed classes; how is it with the other fellows? Take Moyer and Haywood, for instance. Are they not engaged in destroying the other side by violence?" The official was evidently impressed with the newspaper stories from Idaho and was accepting them as gospel truth.

Investigation Hinted At.

Powerful influences have been at work here to interest government officials and senators and representatives in the cause of Moyer and Haywood. I know of one conference that was held yesterday to secure the introduction into the house of resolutions demanding an investigation. Those who interviewed the congressmen were not labor agitators nor workingmen, but one was a distinguished magazine writer, another was a philanthropist of national fame, and the other was the manager of one of the leading newspapers in the East.

They were moved to this by the fear that the arrested men would be railroaded to the gallows by the Idaho courts or be made the victims of mob law, in either which events they declared there would be such an uprising in the labor circles of the country as would shake our social and industrial systems to the bottoms of their foundations. They urged that should the real truth be disclosed through an impartial congressional investigation, if the men were guilty the country would accept their punishment, but if the men are innocent, public sentiment would compel their release.

Courts as a Remedy.

On the other hand, the congressmen appealed to, while expressing entire sympathy with the aims of those who sought their assistance replied; "These men are in the hands of the law. It must be proved that the courts are impartial. An effort for the release of the men has already been made in the state courts. It is to be presumed that the accused have as able lawyers as money can procure, and that if the present trial fails in the local United States court the matter will be promptly transfered to the United States supreme court for hearing and settlement.

And the congressmen to whom the petitions are addressed are avowed in their sympathy with the labor elements of the country, and defend their interests whenever they are assailed upon the floor of congress. The matter of congressional investigation has also been considered in other quarters, the sole aim being to determine whether, under precedents or established rules, either branch of congress may, with propriety, interfere by investigation with the proceedings. The consensus of opinion, and it is the opinion of brave and fearless men, is that such an investigation cannot properly be had at this time, and that some other course must be had to create that healthy sentiment that will insure to accused a fair and impartial trial.

[Photographs and paragraph breaks added.]

SOURCE
The Pittsburg Evening Leader
(Pittsburg, Kansas)
-Mar 24, 1906
https://www.newspapers.com/image/71358012/

IMAGES
Western Federation of Miners Button
http://www.nps.gov/kewe/historyculture/museum-guide-5.htm
Moyer and Haywood from Darrow Collection
http://darrow.law.umn.edu/photo.php?pid=1384
http://darrow.law.umn.edu/photo.php?pid=1385

See also:

Bill Haywood Trial, Darrow Collection
http://darrow.law.umn.edu/trials.php?tid=3

The Cripple Creek Strike: a History of Industrial Wars
in Colorado, 1903-4-5
-by Emma Florence Langdon
Haywood-Moyer- Pettibone Case
http://www.rebelgraphics.org/wfmhall/langdon29.html#dedication

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