Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-10-14
THE GRAFTERS
WANTED FIGHT
John w. Hughes Contributes Some
Interesting History Concerning
Strike Trouble.
LEADERS ARE ALL TO BLAME
Tuhb and Lease Offered to Unionize
Their Jobs But Strike Committee
Would Not Agree.

J. w. Hughes, stone mason, sheds
considerable light upon the animus
OF the leaders in the strike situation
and will be found interesting reading:
Editor Argus.
Iewistown. Mont, Oct. ~, 1903
Sir: If you will kindly give me a lit
tie space in your paper | will try 10
explain my situation in regard to the
labor trouble In Lewistown, and why
| have been opposed TO the strike or
walk u OF the stone masons AS |
have been accused OF all manner of
unmanly acts by the labor agitators,
| wish to say that | asked members
OF the strike committee If it was in
order for any member of the union
to 90 and confer and try to get those
men working for T. j. Tubb to join
the union. The answer that | receiy-
ed was that any union man could do
So. went after them; got them to
promise to join the union. Then !
sent word to r. j. Tubb. asking him
If h" was willing for his men 10 join
the union. His answer was that he
was and that he would recognize the
nine hour day and pay the scale of
wages and that he would use his in
lluoncc TO induce all men working for
IkY4. a.. s.s.. fl onion .h1 -. -.
that the walking delegate should take
! charge OF the job off hours. That was
all that any union could ask of any
man.
When Mr.. Lease ana | talked the
matter over I said that he had better
go to the strike committee and lay
II before them. He did so and was
promised a hearing the same night,
but failed TO get ii. On the following
day met the chairman of said com
mittee and asked him what he thought
of the concession made by T. j. Tubb
and his men. "Oh. IL is all right as
far as IL goes. but ii don't go far
enough" ! then asked him, For
Gods sake, what do you want; don't
you think that it is best to meet them
half way" He answered: mo, he
must come TO us and give us a writ
ten agreement that he will hire none
but straight union mcn before we will
consider any concession made by
him Then ! told him that he never
would get 1t from T. j. Tnbb.
Now. my dear reader, when such a
concession as this is being refused by
a committee. for Coos sake what can
you think? When all of these conces,
sions were refused or never acted on
| made up my mind that the grafters
had the committee buffaloed and
could do nothing; that they did not
want to settle the affair yet awhile.
Or al least On any reasonable terms
II was trouble they were looking for
and they have IL. As long as they had
the Austrian stone masons buffaloed
and fighting their battles for them il
was all right. but the boys are onto
them. And as for starving Jack Hughes
and others out and making them
walk out of town, let me give you a
tip; Jack and those other fellows will
be- eating cold turkey, while some of
you fellows will he sucking snow
balls.
You had better send to Anaconda
again and get another buffaloer to
talk tn the boys and start them for
South Africa ii they don't stop work
ing On the school house.
! also wish TO have the following
communication placed in your col
umns:
Mr.. John W. Hughes. City.
Lewistown. Mont. Oct. s.. 1903
Dear Sir: II is with painful duty
thar acquaint you with the fact that
your former brothers-in-union have
seen iii 10 eXpel you from the Amer
lean Labor Union. No. 1876, OF Lewis.
town, Mont. and additionally impose
a fine upon you To the extent of fifty
$4,000 dollars.
The original charges preferred
against you was that Of ~'trcachery'
to organized labor.
The attached, which rs a copy of
the report Of the trial committee, was
unanimously Endorsed by the floor.
! wish to state to you that your
failure TO pay your regular dues to
the union since last April does in no
manner separate you therefrOm. in
asmuCh as you failed 10 apply for a
transfer or withdrawal card.
am unable 10 comprehend how a
man who claims to have been a un.
ion man for thirty years. and before
his God take The solemn oath TO dc
honor to his fellowman, can become
so drprayed as 10 betray his brothers
in the hour OF battle. the time wher
honor ana manhood should assert II
self.
Your recent actions are incOngru
Gus with your statement to me les.
than sixty days ago. in the prescnC,
of Brother James D%ougheTty, Of the
local carpenters union, that IF my
dear old mother. who is now dead IL
her grave, during the period of he
useful life ever thought for one min
ute that her son John would do any
thing in violation Of the oath he tool
to organized labor, she would disowi
me"
am writing you on stationery tina
was in service during your incumben
cy Us president of the local labor IN
ion, which bears your name in tha
capacity.
Ever counting atOnenrnt, ] am no
particularly bitter against a humal
who errs. therefore. ! hope you vii
see the day when you can completed,
overcome the instability and unmanl
ness that seems TO obtain In you. an
ultimately succeed in making Of your
self a man among men. ! am,
Respectfully yours,
HENRY LYNCH.
Recording Secretary Lewistown Ii
1 bor Union. No. l5G. A. l.. L.
To the Officers and Members Of tn
Lewistown Labor Union, No, l5'
4, l.. T., City.
j Lcwistown, Mont. Sept. 80, 1909
We, the committee appointed 10 TT
W. Inmhn. ION nLnrmnE AnnnNnl