The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-14

ores, and if the mine owner will not
sell at the trust price, he must keep his
ores or build his own smelter. Soon the
trust viii begin to cut down the wages
of the miners and the smeltermen of the
West to the same wage schedule as
those engaged in similar occupations in
the East. Soon this trust will suggest
to the mine owners that a cut in wages
will enable him to continue to make
profits in spite of the extortions of the
trust. Should he refuse to heed this
suggestion he is notified that the trust
has no more use for his ore, conse-
quently he will be compelled to choose
between a reduction in wages or clos
ing down his mines
Inside of a few years the trust will
shut down its smelling plants in diff
ferent localities and concentrate them
into one at some central point, easy of
access, and pay the lowest wages posi-
BILE, and whenever practical follow the
example of the railroad corporations
and employ Japanese or Monaghan la
Dor.
With the miner will suffer the mer-
chant whose business largely depends
upon mining; the laborer who is en-
gagged in other occupations at fair
wages will find his occupation menaced
by the trust; and the farmer whose
market is the mines will suffer from its
effect. Entire communities Will he
placed a the mercy of this trust, which
will prove as cruel as the numerous
other trusts which Cypress labor shut
down their factories. crush out small
competitors and rob the people that
few unnatural tyrants may roll in lux
ury and revel in wealth.
The recently organized copper trust
is of more Importance to the people of
Butte than any of the other great trusts
because the entire business of this com
munty depends on the production of
copper Let us see how this trust will
operate. These people who organized
the copper trust have done so with the
same object in view as all the other
great trusts and syndicates-to make
money.
The Standard Oil company is one of
the heaviest owners in this trust. and
beyond the question of a doubt will re-
sort to its wellknown tactics. 1t Will
establish it's stores and eating houses,
and when the opportune time arrives
it will say to its employees, as it has at
Wardner, Idaho. where it paid under
ground men s1.5O per day less than any
mine in the district, we will not pay
miners $3.50 per day when we can hire
men on Lake Superior for $500 per day;
we will not pay laborers $500 per day
when we can hire men at salisbury for
80 cents; we will not pay smeltermen
$3.50 per day. We will ship our ore
East where we can smelt it for half;
we will not pay the mechanic $500 per
day while we can hire mechanics in the
East for $3.50.
At a meeting of the board of direct
ors, held in some palatial mansion on
the banks of the Hudson, it will be de-
cided to make a uniform rate for all
the slaves working for the copper trust.
The morning papers will come out in
double loaded article, saying that oW-
ing to the heavy expenses the trust
was compelled to establish a uniform
wage schedule, that hereafter the min
ers of Butte would be paid the same
wages as the miners at Lake Superior
and elsewhere under the trust, and ad-
wise them to accept; if not they will
ridicule them as anarchists, socialists
and foreigners. There is no foul name
in the English language that will not
be applied to them if they do not ac-
cept the offer of the trust. Should Or
ganized labor refuse to accept a re-
duction the trust will order it's mines
in Butte closed indefinitely. 1t will
then raise the price of copper, redoubie
it's force on the mines of Lake Super
Tor and supply the copper market, con-
tinue it's dividends and force the min