The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-02-03


dozens and hundreds by an organiza
ton or trust, having for Its purpose,
thrusting what it has to sell Qabor)
upon us whether or no.
Suppose an American in foreign
city should be chased by n mob,
caught and beaten unconscious, then
his mouth pried open and carbolic acid
poured down his throat then his ribs
kicked in and his face well stamped
with iron nailed shoes, murdered be-
cause he tried to earn bread for his
children. BY the Eternal, sir, a fleet
Of American Men of War would assem-
BILE there, clear for action and blow
something off the face of the earth, If
reparation were not made for the
blood Of one of our citizens.
And what answer do we make to the
appeals of the hundreds Of widows and
orphans of those Americans murdered
by labor unions? How do we try to
protect the thousands of intelligent cit
| liens who, with reason, prefer not to
Join any labor union and be subject to
the tyranny of the heavily paid rulers
Of the labor trusts?
Upon firm refusal by Mr.. Post to
} Join this criminal conspiracy d gen
eral boycott was ordered on Grape
Nuts and Postum all over the country,
which set the good red blood of our
ancestors in motion, bringing forth the
reply that has now passed into history:
We refuse to join any conspiracy Of
organized labor to ruin publishers, nor
will we discharge any Of our trusted
employees upon the orders of any labor
union. Ii they can make their boycott
| effective and sink our ship, we will 20
down with the captain on the bridge
and in command"
This set the writer's in labor papers
crazy and they redoubled their abuse.
Finally one Of their official organs
came out with large double column
denunciation of Battle Creek, calling
1t "a running sore on the face Of Mich
igan,' because it would not become
organized and pay in dues to their
labor leaders. The usual coarse, VIII
famous epithets common to labor
union writer's were INDUCED in.
The result was to weld public senti-
ment In Battle Creek for protection. A
citizens association was started and
mass meetings held. Good citizens who
happened to be members Of local
unions. In some cases quit the unions
entirely, for. there is small need Of
them there.
The working people Of Battle Creek
are of the, highest order Of American
mechanics. The majority are not union
members, for practically all of the
manufacturers have for years declined
to employ union men because Of dis
turbances about eleven years ago, and
the union men now in the city are
among the best. citizens.
No city in the State of Michigan
pays as high average wages as Battle
Creek, no city of its size is as pros
porous, and no city has SO large a pro-
portion of. the best grade of, mechanics
who own their own homes,
So the work people massed together
with the other citizens in the organiza-
ton Of the Citizens Association with
the following preamble and coustitu-
ton:
,i.Wlfereas.' From 1891 to 1894 the
STRIKES instigated by Labor Unions in
Battle Creek resulted in the destruc-
ton of property and loss Of large sums
of money in wages that would have
been expended here; and,
Whereas, These acts caused serious
damage to the city and in marke
way delayed its progress at that time;
and,
Whereas, Since the year 1894 the
citizens have been enabled, by public
sentiment, to prevent the recurrence of
strikes and Labor Union disturbances
| which have been prevalent elsewhere;
and, ~
| Whereas, The employers of this city
have steadfastly refused to place the
management of their business under
the control of Labor Unions, but have
maintained the highest standard of
wages paid under like conditions any.
where in the United States, and here
by unanimously declared their inten,
to continue such policy; and the EN-.
ployes of this city, large percenta &c
of whom own homes and have families
reared and educated under conditions
Of peace and the well-earned prosperi
ty Of steady employment, have stead
lastly maintained their right as free
| American citizens to work without the
dictatioR and tyranny of Labor Union
leaders, the bitter experience Of the
past offering sufficient reason for q
determined stand for freedom; and,
| Whereas, The altitude of the citizens
on this subject has been the means OF
preserving peaceful conditions anG
continuous prosperity in marked con
traststo the condition existing in othe,