The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-11-09
Continued from Page 1.

Continued from Page 1.
The men fought a good fight. They
entered the contest with a determine
ton seldom seen in a labor dispute.
They continued the struggle in the
face of frightful odds with a courage
most remarkable to behold, and they
yesterday reluctantly yielded only to
the power of corporate wealth. The
following statement was issued by the
Duluth and Superior branches of the
Amalgamated Street Railway En-
ploye's association in closing the con-
test:
Union Mems Statement.
ION Sept. the street railway en-
ployes of Duluth and Superior were
forced to strike to protect certain
Of their fellow employees who were
discharged from the service of the
company for no other reason than
that they were discovered holding a
meeting of a secretly formed union
which was organized for the purpose
of assisting the employees to compel
the management to grant them GER
tain improved working conditions,
among which were a reduction in the
spread of duty from Is hours to IL
hours, the abolition Of the prison.
like dement, system and the right to
organize for the purpose of improv-
ing our social and working condi-
tons.
Every fair-minded person in Du-
luth and Superior has recognized by
this time, in view of the attitude of
the management of the Duluth Street
Railway company before and since
the strike, that there was nothing
we could do to protect ourselves at
the time. but to go on strike. We
were denied the right to send COM
mittees Of our own choosing to repre-
sentatives of the company. When
we did send committee an audience
was refused. We could not obtain
redress of our grievances either by
Cancellation or arbitration. The
company was determined to crush
the spirit and independence of it's
employees. To submit without a pro-
test would have stamped us as
slaves. To resist this rule of corporate
tyranny even in the face of certain
defeat at the outset was the only
thing that we could do and preserve
our self-respect. This We are salts
fed we have done.
Discouraged Violence.
1--WE submit to the public that we
have fought a clean fight. We have
not participated in nor have we en-
couraged, but we have strongly pro-
tested against every act of violence
and disregard for the supremacy of
law. A review of the strike will
show that the greater amount of de-
struction of property and injury to
life was due to the incompetence Of
the men who had taken our places,
and to the criminal assaults Of
representatives of the company, from
the superintendent down.
Upon our side in this strike were
| great majority of the people Of
the two cities and all the daily and
weekly papers. The city council
tried in a number of ways to bring
about settlement. but found itself
powerless. Strong editorials were
written which reflected public senti-
ment and demanded that the matters
at issue be submitted to arbitration.
Even the district court departed from
Its usual course and the company re-
| ceived a fitting rebuke in two i'm
portant cases, both of which indicated
that the court was in sympathy with
the grievances of the employees and
opposed to the public-be-damned pol
icy of the company. In the face of
all this the company steadfastly re-
fused to deal with the striking en-
ployes unless they Internationally
surrendered. The management was
encouraged and allotted at home by
small group of so-called influential
business men, representatives of the
predatory interests having their
headquarters in Duluth and a few
real estate and other parasites who
could not, if they would, see any vir-
tue in any honorable effort of labor
to lift itself up.
Battle Not in Vain.
I'VE feel that we, have not fought
in vain. While many of US have
lost our jobs and will not be reem-
ployed by the company, we at least
take pride in the fact that we have
preserved our manhood and our in
dependence. While we will not our
selves enjoy. as employees of the COM
pany, the fruits Of this strike, we are
satisfied that the management will
remedy the conditions which caused
the trouble by making them better,
If for no other reason than to avoid
another such strike. This much at
least has been gained for labor.
The strike has cost the people
much money and Inconvenience.
They, too, will be the beneficiaries Of
our struggle. They have learned