The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-10-21
MARK HANNA.
"A Few Words OF Importance Regarding
MT. Hanna.

AneHC Tile Charges DcluS iHdut Ny
some of the leaders Of the Miners
Unions in the Lake Superior district,
that M. A. Hanna is the enemy OF
labor and has oppressed those who
have been in his employ, the Ish-
peming Iron Ore gives q few facts
regarding the same which will prove
highly interesting TO many OF our
people who are personally acquainted
with the conditions as described:
The miners of Marquette county
know how he has treated the men
who have been employed by him here.
lie has paid the wage scale demanded
by the men, and resumed operations
f,hree weeks earlier ia the strike OF
last summer than any other operator.
In the matter of rents the men know
how they have been used. The COM
pany has net cut pay this f2ll, while
all other mines have. The Winthrop.
when Mr.. Hama took hold of it, was
in bad shape, and badly in debt. He
brought it out OF its troubles, and,
while the property has not paid a
dividend for three years. it has been
kept busy.
At Iron Mountain he purchased the
Chaplin mine when those who had
worked the property had gone into
Bankruptcy. Before he took hold the
men were paid in longtime paper,
they were paid low wages, and there
were many stoppages and much
trouble. 1t was very unsatisfactory
condition OF things. With the change
in management the debts were all
squared, the men paid in cash, and
since that time pay-days have occurred
promptly every month. Important
improvements have been made, the
Hamilton and LudingtOn mines also
purchased and equipped, and the COM
pany, in preparing for the future, has
expended an immense amount of
money. It has worked big force all
through the past summer, and is
today employing large number of
men 1t is paying the very highest
wages of any mine on that range.
This we know to be fact because we
have seen the statements Of the COM
uany showing this point. The con-
Germ has been enterprising, and Is
fast making room for men. We do
not wish to be understood as saying
that Mr.. Hanna has done all this
solely in the interest Of the miners,
but. in making it possible to help his
owm business, he has helped them.
We have often been in the Chaplin
mine, and we Know the men are doing
well. and are well cared for. We
know, too, that no question is raised
rs to whether the miners are union
men or not. We know that the men
who live on the company's location
are not taxed for house rent or for
water, and we know that comfortable
homes are provided here as well as
at the Winthrop mine, Ishpeming
We know the mine is we'll equipped
with conveniences for labor, and that
every possible precaution is taken
underground for their safety. We
know, too, that the miners employed
in the Chaplin are we'll satisfied with
their treatment, because they have
personally told us so. We talked with
gangs of men on drilling machines
within few weeks in that mine who
told US they were averaging 1915 per
day, and that they were not cut in
case they made good months pay.
1t is certainly unjust to the COM
pany and Mr.. Hanna as its president
to try to injure Major Mckinley with
any such Misrepresentation. DishOn-
esty in politics is as conteptible as
in any other line of business
Now let US see what other union
men say of Mr.. :, Hanna's attitude
towards labor: The following letters
have been sent to William A. Karney,
first vice-president Of the Amalgamat-
ed Association of Iron and Steel
Workers, who has been inquiring into
the record of Mr. Hanna:
Columbus, O., September g. 1885,
DEAR SIR:-In answer to your recent letter
OF inquiry. would state that had barge Of
an Investigation OF the marine inerests OF
Ohio, made under the auspices OF the Ohio
bureau OF statistics, in 1891. My inquiry went
back for twenty years. extending beyond the
time,,f the trouble between the Lake Car
riers' association and the Sailors union.
There was no evidence found in the course
OF this investigation to show that Mark
Hanna had any part in the difficulty then
existing between the sailors and their en-