Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-02-02

thrusting what 1t has to sell (labor)
upon us whether or no.
Suppose an American in a foreign
city should be chased by a mob, caught
and beaten unconscious, then his
mouth pried open and carboiic 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, II
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 muir
dered by labor unions? How do we
try to protect the thousands of intelli-
gent citizens who, with reason, prefer
not to join any labor union and be
subjectSto the tyranny of the heavily
paid rulers Of the labor trusts?
Upon a firm refusal Of Mr.. Post to
join this criminal conspiracy a general
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: eve 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. If they
can make their boycott effective and
sink our ship, we will go down with
the captain on the bridge and in COM
mand.'
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
in denunciation of Battle Creek. call
ing 1t "a running sore on the face of
Michigan" because 1t would not be-
come organized" and pay in dues to
their labor leaders. The usual coarse,
villainous epithets common to labor
union writers were INDUCED in.
The result was to weld public SEN
timent in Battle Creek for protection.
A citizens association was started,
and mass meetings held. Good citi-
zens 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 de-
clined to employ union men because
of disturbances 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 q its size is as pros.
porous. and no city has so large pro
portion of the best grade Of mechanics
who own their own homes.
So the work people massed together
with the other citizens of the organi-
cation of the Citizens Assn with the
following preamble and constitution:
Whereas, 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 market
way delayed its progress at that time;
and,
Whereas, Since the year 1894 the
citizens have been enabled hv public
sentiment, to prevent the recurrence
of strikes and labor union disturb
ances which have been prevalent else
where; and,
Whereas, The employers Of this city
hare steadfastly refused to place the
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 intent
to continue such policy; and the en-
ployes ct this city, a large percentage
OF whom own homes and have fani-
lies reared and educated under condi-
tions Of peace and 4 the well-earned
Of steady employment, have
steadfastly maintained their right as
free American citizens to work with
out the dfctation and tyranny Of labor
union leaders the hitter eYr,ayie,,ca ,,f