The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-07-29
MOVER CRITICISES TAFT
IN HIS ANNUAL REPORT

Denver, July 22.-Caustic scoring
of President Taft for what was
termed "his attitude in lending his
power to boycott labor unions. and
his fostering of injunctions to help
break strikes, thus taking away or
ganized labor's most powerful wea-
pon," was only one of the many
sensational passages contained in
President Charles H. Meyers report
at the session of the Western FEEDER
alton of Miners annual convention.
A portion of the report says:
Taft has lately gone on record
as opposing the boycott when ap-
piled by union labor and declaring
in favor of the governments appro-
priation of money to prosecute wor-
kers should they declare the en-
ployer or his product unfair, yet,
being the father, or one who should
be proud to be the father, of the
writ of injunction, it occurs that ey-
en- though he were our president, I've
was, to say the least, inconsistent
"Moyer denounced a plot, hatch
ed at the last convention of the fed
Grafton, to wreck the Butte union,
; the largest in the world. and organ
ize rival unions. TIE only thing that
prevented fruition Of the plot, he
said. was the importation of eng:-
neers from the Black Hills that It'd
ed owe the situation.
Representatives of the Butte un.
ion are circulating petitions for sig
natures a petition addressed to the
Montana state board Of pardons
asking for the freedom of a member
Of the federation. Thomas ]. Riley
who is serving a life sentence at
Deer Lodge for killing P. A. Lar.
gey, a prominent Butte banker, in
1898.
Riley was injured in an explosion
when a hundred or more were kill
ed in the heart Of Butte by the OK
D1osion of powder stored and owned
by Largey and was forced to bee
after having a leg amputated. I:
is said that Largey's widow has
signed the petition for pardon.
In preparation for taking It's
place in the American Federation OF
Labor as one of the mining unions
which will make up the new peart
ment of mines in that body, th'
Western Federation of Miners viii
proceed with the organization of thu
entire metaliferous mining district:
Of this country. From an organi
cation of 10000 it will be raised
by the addition Of 25s,NO0 metalis
erons miners throughout the south
east and north.
With the United Mine Workers
Of America. numbering 100000 Goa
miners, the combined force Of tn.
department Of mines Of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor will b,
100000 union men. This will b.
the largest and strongest union n
fIiated with the American Fedora
ton.
BY a referendum vote the mem
bers Of the Western Federation al
ready have decided to affiliate wit!
the American Federation. so ina
question is settled. The only diff
Guilty now is minor claims Of juris
diction owe which the Wester,
Federation is disputing with the en-
gineers, steel workers and a few
other organizations. Both side
have made their claims before tn
executive committee Of the Ameri
can Federation, which is to pass DIP
on the mfinally. When this is don-
the decision is to be given In a few
weeks, the miners will be ready t
enter the national body.
Assessments will probably b
made upon all members Of the fed
Grafton for the purpose Of organic
ing the 10000 Missouri miners. tn
5000 in Alabama, and $500 Il
Minnesota, $4,000 in Michigan an,
Wisconsin as well as those in 9th
or m ota1;foroua cfafas
II possible, 100000 will b
raised for the work. although thi
Is a large sum for an organization
Of 10000 to coluect.