The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-07-25
FRbM THE MINING REGIONS.
The Good Work GrOwinE-The Work
men Organizing.


VIRGINIA, St. Louis Co., Mimi, July IT,
Editor Representative-Will you kindly
advise to the proper steps to take
in starting a Peoples Party Club at tins
place There are employed in and about
the mines here and in the village about
1900 men. Scandinavians, Austrians,
French. Irish, English and a few Ameri-
cans The Scandnavians predominant. The
principal part of them (the Scandinavians)
are Finlanders A few other workingmen
and myself, after due deliberaton and for
just cause have turned our backs to the
traditions Of our fathers and broken with
the old parties, to which we formerly be-
longed. We now are anxious to cast our
lots with the Peoples party, and do what
we can toward putting wise and just men
into the executive and Legislative places
of Our state and country. Such men, we
believe, will be chosen as candidates for
office At the convention now being held
by sail party.
Being workingmen, living in a newly set
tied and somewhat isolated part of the
state. We are not fully cognzant of what
is transporting outside of our actual range
of vision but judging by that and what
we experience personally, deem it
high time something We're done, if the
rights Of the people are to be preserved
inviolate. To emphasize this it is neces-
sary 70 only mention an incident illustrat-
ing the rapidly encroaching power of mon
opoly in this section of the state. At the
last pay day (about June 10 of the mines
he ri, 7 no T1op
and the Franklin mine there was by the
companies kept from the months pay of
every miner and laboring man in their
employ the sum of $50, and in lieu thereof
given 10 them by the company's paymaster
a receipts for $.50 poll tax. These receipts
bear the signature of the clerk for the
town whore the mines are situated Now
this In the face of the fact that these men
had no pl -vious notice of the matter
neither from the companies nor from the
person authorized to collect such tax. Nor
Were they given the option of working out
this tax. Their money, without their
knowledge or consent. was expended for
them. Whare. [ ask, but in free America
could such a thing be done? l have yet to
learn of any other in the township
who has been called upon for poll tax this
year. The pay of the men in and about the
mines ranges from 81 to $1.50 per day in
rare instances $.50 Those who board are
charged 81 per week for board. There is
a scandinavian Republican Club here but
1t strikes me that with the help of God
the business of our cause the voice of
a Donneily and good, intelligent, hard
work that at least 800 votes in the village
of Virginia. 500 more between the village
of Mountain Iron and Biwabik could be
poNed in the cause of the people next No
Vember.
Now. sir if YOU deem the field a fit one
IN which to labor, you will kindly assist
us IN starting a club If the incident of the
poll tax will be of campaign value to the
party, l can send You some of the receipts
given to the men, also their affidavits as
to their genuineness, and also some facts
regarding the strike here last spring. If
You viii kindly forward to me a COPY of
your paper, The Representative three of
Us Will raise at least six months subscrip-
ton Tor one copy. We are poor devils too
poor to afford each the price of subscrip-
uon a present Pardon me, sir, the lib
ertN / have taken in asking a favor #
you; also for having written 50 long a
letter. Yours Most respectfully. W.