Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-03
Organizing the Miners.

Al ttiy Idle, lie came 10 f1iDDlnS IN loUf
and has made this his headquarters ever
since. trying to organize a branch Of the
Western Federation here and on the Yer
million range in northern Minnesota. He
appears to have undertaken the work as
business specialization the money there
Is in It, When he first began to organize
he fixed the initiation fee to the federation
at 81. After he had worked up a good deal
of interest he raised 1t to 81. and then at
tempted to make 1t 50, but the men re-
fused to pay much and the fee was re-
duced to 81 again, which has been the
cause Of a great deal of pickering and has
weakened his influence considerably.
Those who paid 81 and 50 fees have ever
since been demanding rebate. which Petri-
ella has refused to pay them. His finances
have been in bad shape from the beginning.
When fees were coming in rapidly and he
was flush with money he spent it freely.
He INDUCED in various extravagances and
designations and paid his agents with great
liberality. but evidently did not keep faith
With the officials of the Western Federation
In Colorado. because they have since de-
clined to furnish him any financial assist
ance: they have refused him credit, and,
during the most exciting period of the re-
cent strike. when he telegraphed to Denver
for $500 union buttons. they wired back
that he must send $1,000 in cash before
they would be shipped, which he was I'M
able to do. He promised to feed the fam
lilies OF the striking miners while they were
out but when the first pay day came and
several tnOuSdHu SlTlheTS went 10 MS Vdrl-
Gus headquarters to receive their allow
ance, he gave them only one silver dollar
each with a promise of more a few days
later. Many OF the strikers were so disap-
pointed and disguised that they threw the
silver dollars back at him and their union
badges with them. At some of the head
quarters there were riots. The strikers had
been promised % per cent of their regular
wages and had been depending upon that
amount. At present Petriella has ST. 400 on
deposit in a bank here at Hibbing, which Is
apparently the extent of his financial re-
sources. According to popular runor he
has deposits in other banks on the range,
but that is very doubtful.
Two years ago. after he had organized
1t was a great mistake. because the men
would not obey him Only a few quit
work An overwhelming majority of the
members of his unions protested and sew
eral riots were caused by his supporters
Two men were killed Notwithstanding
this failure Petriella secured the nomina-
| ton for mayor of Hibbing on the socialist
prestige with the working classes. But IL
was soon developed that he is not a citizen
of the United States and Is not even en-
titled to a vote.
Duluth Longshoremen Organized.
He went down to Duluth to stay until the
bad effect of his defeat had subsidized and
succeeded in organizing the men on the
ore docks into a union affiliated with the
International Longshoremen's organization
The dockmen are mostly Firms, Swedes
and Beigians. They received satisfactory
| wages, but he persuaded them that they
| had a grievance and was successful in get
ting them together. This gave him consid-