The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-08-24
.ARMORY MASS MEETING
!: WAS MOST SUCCESSFUL
Mother Jones Tells Working Peo-
pie of Duluth Something About
F Labor Conditions.
Large Crowd Turned Out in Spite
of Inclement Weather
terest Was Great.

OIL the 1a1LnIul. Inc Weat1eI was
most unfavorable. The worst storm
Of the season was at its height, and
even those on the program as speak
ers didn't expect to see more than the
committee on hand. However, the
attendance was good. and spirit was
high.
The meeting was called 10 order by
w. E. McEwen. On the platform with
him were Alderman JOS. Shartell,
Mother Jones, c.. E. Mahoney, acting
president Of the Western Federation
of Miners, and M. Kaplin. The Fin
nish band opened the meeting with
the playing of the Marsenles.
Mr.. McEwen- in a few preliminary
remarks told Of the purpose of the
meeting. He said that many Of his
hearers might disagree in tactics, but
they were all OF one mind as to the
ultimate object. He said that the is
sues in the strike had nothing to do
with the behaviour of the public off,
Gals. Their use of thugs to act as
peace officers was deplorable. The
speaker then told Of the cowardly
shooting Of a. non-participant in the
strike.
Said Mr.. McEwen: Things can
not go on longer as they have for the
past two weeks without raising the
wrath of every honest man; the mine
owners cannot bring into the state of
Minnesota those undesirable citizens
who go to some private detective
agency and hire out as private /detec-
tives, sluggers and strike breakers.
These experts" as the steel corpor-
alton calls them, have been shipped
into Minnesota contrary to the law:
they have been sworn in contrary to
the law of the state as deputy sher-
ifs, and they wear the livery Of the
state of Minnesota.
Questions Sheriff Bates?
IT notice our sheriff has made the
declaration REPEATEDLY that he has not
sworn in as deputies any person ex-
cept citizens of the state of Minne-
sofa and I often wonder whether
Sheriff Bates really means that and
tries to make us believe it when it is
not true. I have talked in my office
with boy 18 years old who was hired
in Chicago for the purpose Of working
at $3.50 a. day. He didn't know what
work he was to do as he came to Du-
luth and he was shipped to the iron
range and there given a rifle and he
was told he was wanted to guard the
property OF the Oliver Mining COM
pany. He said the captain told him
when the sheriff came to swear him
in as deputy, to 'twear his home was
in Minnesota. This was an 1s-year-
old boy and as he described the man
who swore him in the description
looked very much! like a certain off,
cial of st. Louis county"
Mr.. McEwen gave an account of the
shooting down Of an ignorant miner
on the range by the deputies just be-
cause he was walking across the prop
erty Of one Of the mining companies.
The miner could not speak English
and becoming frightened by the guns
of the deputies began to run away,
whereupon he was shot and after
No one has been punished for this
crime" but said Mr.. McEwen, chow
would it have been If a party Of min
ers had shot one of the other side.
They. would have been imprisoned i'm
M. kapIan Talks.
Morris Kaplan, local business
man, was next introduced by the
chairman and gave an address setting
forth how the smaller business men
get fooled In regard to the strike and
the economic conditions Of the couH-
try in general. He told OF the UNI
fairness Of some of the business men
on the range and also here in Du-
luth.
c. E. Mahoney, acting president of
the Western Federation Of Miners,
who is in charge OF the range strike
at present, gave a review of the bat.
ties fought by the federation in the
past in the western mining fields and
defended the organization as one
which does not care for violence, but
is always working for the betterment
of the laboring man.
He also gave an account OF the trial
of the miners at Hibbing last week
who were arrested on charges Of riot
ing. He claims that not enc charge
could be proven against them. but
nevertheless Judge Brady. had de-
clareu the men guilty a10 Hau ne1Q
them to the grand jury.
"Of course, the grand Jury can do
nothing else but order their acquittal,"
said the speaker, ''but 1t is the injus-
tice of the thing that appeals to us.
That is only an instance Of the meth
DDS employed by the Steel Trust all
through the strilze.''
Chairman McEwen then introduced
Mother" Mary Jones, who in a char
acteristio speech gave g. graphic ac-
count Of various labor troubles which
she had been in, helping the miners
throughout the country. PSI. =.
Mother Jones Speaks. .r*
IT read SO much since have been
on the range" said Mother" Jones,
''about the brutality, the villainy OF a.
body of men that were here on the
range. read 50 much Of the wolves
that are here; one editor, up the road
said he was astonished at my coming
in here to Join hands with the wolves.
the Western Federation OF Miners; I
want to tell that editor right here and
now, want to be with those wolves