The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-07-27
1000 socialists there, and there are
more than 10000 members Of the fed


1000 socialists there, and there are
more than 10000 members Of the fed
Grafton.
TO Educate Themselves.
We are striking partly for wages
but more for the eight-hour day.
When a man goes to work at 6 and
gets home at 8, after all day in the
mines, what chance has he to educate
himelf. Is he a man?
We say the eight-hour day is
enough.
We believe we should have the
wages we demand. But it does not
make. much difference about the
wages. If you get more it costs that
much more to live.
We are opposed to the contract sys-
tenn. Men who work hard and make
slaves Of themselves can earn SO or
$3.50 on the contract system when
everything Is in their favor. But they
often earn less than 81 a day. After
they have paid for their dynamite and
so on @F
But If they strike hard ground they
earn less. The level is always kept
down. Once heard where men earn
Ing less than two cents day. Near
the end Of the month-this was three
years ago-the company cut off their
supplies because they were too far in
the hole.
We are opposed to the bonus sys-
tenn for shovel men. That Is where
the company holds back part of the
wages, $25 or $50 a month, from mems
pay. At the end Of the season they
get what was kept back. If they quit
before the end OF the season they lose
it,,
AS socialists We obey the law. We
try to change the law, we want to
overthrow the present system. But
until the law Is changed we go by it.
I'VE Are for Peace"
The miners are for peace on the
range. I have not heard any threats.
l do not believe any have been made
We want the blind pigs closed and
the saloons kept to the law. II that
IS done there will be no violence from
the miners.
After the Hibbing meeting we voted
tnat We would not go into the mines
and would not march any more The
p1ckets at the mines might shoot and
we do not want trouble. We will
canvass from house to house. We try
TO get men to join the union.
We are taking in a hundred a day
at the larger locations anu have more
than 10000 members now.
IT the men wish to take our places.
we will not do any violence. If our
members leave us. they have the right
to do it, We must educate them un-
til they see things as we do.
If we lose this strike there is no
more place for the Firms In northern
Minnesota.
We were forced out Of the old coun-
try. We have been forced out Of the
east. IT we cannot stay here we must
go somewhere else and keep on NOV
ing until things change.
The Arrests at 1ovey.
I was at Bovey and spoke to the
miners. After the meeting 1 left two
organizers there and went back to
H1bbing: I was, going back to Bovey
0u~ I1Acy LcIoplOleQ me t1at the. DeO.
pie had string (rope) for me. 1 do
not know what I did that they should
act that way toward me.
The two boys left there were at
the depot when they were beaten by
two Of the company pickets. Tho
village marshal at Bovey or Coleraine
cut in and arrested them while they
were being beaten. They were ac-
cused of carrying concealed weapons.
One Of them know had no gun. The
other I cannot tell.
But every man in Bovey carries a.
revolver. Unless they have a gun.
We Are Not. Strangers. i
We are loyal to this government.
We have not done any wrong. The
Western Federation Of Miners is made
up Of men who live on the range.
Petriella has been there more than =
year. There are no others from Colo
frado. I am a citizen Of HibbinR and
the other organizers are taken from
our own ranks. Z