The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-07-13
RANCE MINERS UNION
TO POSTPONE STRIKE
Unauthentic Reports Declare That
Strike Talk Has subsidized
on the Mesaba.
Labor World. Unable to Secure
Reliable Reports Of Purpose
of Miners Union.

According to the Eveleth Star the
decided to temporarily abandon their
alleged purpose of striking for an in
crease in wages Most of the weekly
papers published on the Mesaba are
decidedly unfriendly to the leaders Of
the Miners Union, who they declare,
are stirring up trouble among the MN
ers.
The business agent of the Miners
unions must be very much d1Herent
than the agents for the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor unions if they are at
tempting to force a strike, for 1t Is
we'll known among labor mer that
strike means more to the paid officers
Of union than 1t does to the men,
bers, for they are obliged to work
harder than usual and the chances for
continuing at their work are so I'M
certain.
However, to show the feeling OF the
press on the Mesaba range towards the
unions and their representatives we
clip the following from the Eveleth
Star, published by former state repre-
sentative, P. E. bowling:
"The labor1ng men of this community
who have passed upon the calling of
strike and have a lease for the pre-
sent have concluded to abandon the
same, have exercised very good judg-
! ment. Nothing could be more suicidal
| to labor at this time than the calling
of strike on these iron ranges. 1t
would mean the closing of all the
| mines, the suspension of the industrial
operations, and great and long hard
| ship to many men and many families.
| Not only would the mines ne closed
down and men thrown out of employ
! ment, but many hardships would fol
| low.
The merchants in town, particularly
! the grocery and meat men would, be-
yond doubt; at once establish cash
basis, and as we are living in an era
! Of more or less credit great hardships
| and trials might follow.
Whether there is justification for a
| strike or not, we are not at this time
! disposed to say for we do not know
| the average wage scale paid to en-
| ployed labor, In the mines aU> on the
| surface. We. are of course Informed
| that the wages are god and that never
| in the history Of mining was men paid
more than they are today. Whether
| this is true or not, We are not pre-
| pared to say at this time.
One thing is.certain however, that
the u s. steeISfompany can much bet
ter afford toAIose up the mines and
at least partially suspend business than
the laborer: en- AFFORD to SO idle fol
several months. and, run chances OF
only partially sup porting his family
| 1t is true, it is an indesputable fact
| that the price of living is high. that
| it is higher than it has ever been in
| the history of this country in times
| of peace. That, although laborers get.
ting good wages, yet it costs much tt
| live But for labor to inaugurate 6
| strike along arbitrary and dictatoria
| methods simply means destruction tt
labor itself. However, it Is not tn
men in the mines who want to strike
It is not the men who are working
hard for living and know the result
of a strike 1t is.a few fellows on tn
outside, who are officers OF the un1ol
here who labor at other things be
side mining who are the real agitator
in the strike move.
If the officers Of the local union de
sires to do the right thing, and fav
the cause of labor at heart they shou;
go to the companies, present thei
cause and quietly nnd peaceably dis
cuss the situation with the men at tn
head of the industries here
| rhe Stool cornanv last Decem
Der. advanced the wages of every min
worker, and advanced the men withou
any solicitation on the part of labo
If at this time the laborer is not get
ting wages adequate to the service
rendered, then the peaceable metho
of solicitation is much better than tn
strike process.
Strikes are not as popular as the
used to be for there are now othe
ways Of settling labor disputes beside
striking. Too many men and too man
families suffer from the actions of in
competent leaders who have less In
terest in the real cause Of labor tina
they have advancing their own pres
tage.
The walking delegates, who are pal
q good fat salary, and who suffer nor
, of the hardships or deprivation Of tt
laboring men do many unwise acts an
bring about much suffering at times.
It Is to be hoped by all and eve,
, citizen that there will not be an
! strikes this year. That good judgmer
r will be exercised by the working me
: and that they will consider their fam
> lies and their homes and not for,
upon themselves and the whole con
p munity a condition from which eve1
q man in the community will suffer mo
> or less.
o Strikes are gained today as in tt
y past by men demanding more wag
when there is real justification f,
the strike. Strikes are gained on
: when the public feel that there is
g just cause for the calling of a strik
Otherwise they are lost and men su
fer. A strike called now would
all likelihood last for months. CT
the laboring man stand this condition
. Can he rest without labor as long
: the companies can close down the
. operations? Have we not already h,
Id strikes on these ranges, and what h