The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-01-22
CAPITAL AND LABOR.

The conference IN New York be-
tween prominent representatives of
labor and the more powerful capital
lists is of less value for what was said
and done than for the showing it af-
fords that the nothing to arbitrate"
policy has been or is likely to be.
abandoned When such men as
Hanna, Schwab, Morgan and Rookie
Teller are willing to meet and confer
with presidents and secretaries of ma
tional labor unions, and with noted
public men, it augurs well for the dis
placement of strikes by some sort OF
arbitration.
This, however, does not reach the
root of the difficulty; and it is pain
fully obvious so far, that none of
the participants seem to have enter
tanned the least suspicion as to what
that is. Perhads some of the cap
tains of industry and heads of
trusts know very well that the roots
are special privileges in land and
transportation; but if so they took
good care that the representatives of
labor were not let into thesecret, and
some of these latter appear to be
green enough for cows to eat when
they expressed such unsophisticated
qualification at Hanna,s announce
ment that he had always been
friend of labor when the facts are
that he was long one of it's bitter
enemies. While we are plesed that
he should approach the penitent
bench, and while we recognize the
wicked man turneth away from his
wickedness and doeth that which is
lawful and right, he shall save his
soul alive, we hold that his record
should be kept in view and not too
much confidence be placed in his pro-
fessions until he brings forth works
meet for repentance"
To exemplify: In. 1888, Hanna
conducted the fight against the lake
seamen, who then received So per
day in summer, and $3.50 in the late
fall, when the risk of being frozen to
death is very great. After a heroic
struggle the union was crushed and
wages went down to 81 and 1925.
In 1898, there was a strike on some
car lines in Cleveland not under Han
mas control. There were, however
grievances on the part of his men,
but they had not even threatened to
strike. A committee of his employees
waited on him to ask for the redress
of the grievances; he took the names
of the members of the committee
and discharged every one of them
as we'll as every car man in his EN-
ploy known to belong to the union
he positively forbidding his men tc
organize.
On May 20, 1892, every foundry in
Cleveland but Hanna's Globe foundry
agreed to minimum of $3.50 day
Two men appointed by the union tC
ask the same concession from Hanna
were Immediately discharged.
In 1896 there was a strike in his
foundry; he told the men that $1.3(
a day was enough, but that he would
give them $3.50 day if they would
vote for Mckinley.
In December, 1896, men applying
for employment in his coal mines
were forced to sign an agreemen
that ten per cent of their wages
should be retained as securit!
! against their striking. In July, 1897
strike was declared in the Goa
mines of that region, but Hanna
men worked five weeks longer be
cause of their withheld wages, whicl
he nevertheless confscated to tn,
; amount of $1,000.
In October, 1897, he stored 1000
900 tons of coal on barges, thel
forced a strike by reducing miners
wages, ran up the price of coal S
ton, clearing $4,000,000 dollars, AM
then called off the strike, after thu
depriving the miners of four weeks
work.
In or about June, 1897, the ManC
coal miners of Manovan, near Mon
il, ongahela, Penn, struck against re
duction of pay from 60 cents to 5
cents ton-the lowest ever paid il
: the district. Hanna was president O
3 the company. That was after tn
. election of 1896 and long enough be
fore that of 1900 to give labor union
lists time to forget.
: This is only part of Mr.. Hanna
S record as friend of labor" How
e ever, no matter what he may hav
, been, we hope his efforts for the cor
ciliation of labor and capital are cal
nest, and will be productive of goot
/ San Francisco Star.