Speech #630423928

If it will not interrupt the Senator. I should like to call his attention at this point to one phase of m6derh imxiigration which had much to do with the vote which I cast in favor of the measure just vetoed. It is the importation-"-I think that is the proper word to useof large bodies of meh into this country by great corporate interests. such as the Cblorado Fuel & Iron Co. in my State. from the different nationalities of Europe. parceled out among these nationalities In somewhat regular lines of division. and employing them in their mines. so that on account of disparity of language and nationality there can be neither community of action nor concert in any social way. in consequence of Which the places of American workmen are taken by that class of people. who afterwards. becoming dissatisfied with their condition. which to say the least is an undesirable one. break out into opposition And insurrection and strikes. and commit disorders for which American workmen. both native and naturalized. and who are entitled to the protection and the privileges of our laws and of our institutions. are blamed. To give the Senator a cogent illustration of the situation which results from the possibilities of carrying out such a purpose. in 1904 there was a strike in southern Colorado. The governor of the State. at the Instance of the mine owners. declared martial law. and the militia. at the behest of those In authority. loaded into box cars. without form oflaw or process of law. the men who were displeasing to the managers. whether they had been engaged in the strike or whether they had been merely suspected of wrongdoing or wrong purpose. and dumped them onto the plains of Kansas and New Mexico. Their places were filled by men imported directly from southeastern Europe. and the men who were imported In 1904 from that section were naturalized before. they had been in the State three months and herded at the polls and.voted like sheep. It was these men who in 1913 went on strikea strike which has become historic on account of its gravity and the extent to which it reached. I also want to emphasize the fact that when the President of the United States. responding to the call of the governor. exercised his constitutional power by taking possession of the disturbed area of the State with the ttoops of the United States Government. he issued a proclamation. commanding all those who had arms in their hands and all who were otherwise unlawfully disposed toward the Government. to disperse and go to their homes within a certain time. and that proclamation had to be translated Into 22 different languages in order that its contents might be properly understood and carried to the minds of something like five or six thousand of the men supposed to be. upon strike. I. submit that that is a condition. which is undesirable In any country. and one which no wellregulated immigration law would permit. It is one which has been the fruitful cause of much of the social. political. and industrial disturbance inmy State. and one to which the real workingmen and citizenship of my State naturally desire to put an end. If possible.