The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-09-25
STROBE AGAIN DEALS WITH QUESTIONS
VERY IMPORTANT TO HIS COMMUNITY
POLITICAL ACTIVITY DISGUISE HOSPITAL
ACCOMMODATIONS EAST coUNTY-soME
OTHER IRREGULARITIES.
Mullan, Idaho, September "a,
Ie Editor of The Miner

TO the Editor of The Miner
E,ery large employer Of labor, VIII
ther all individual, firm or eorpert-
tion. has some opportunity to wielt
influence over the vote Of his or It's
employees on election day and full ad-
vantage is taken of such opportunity
by some Of the mining companies op-
Grating in the Occur d'Alenes, notably
the Federal Mining 4 Smelling com
pany, During any political campaign
in this county, either for primaries or
for election, when any specuatlons
arise as to possible results, the qucs-
ton most commonly asked Is ,'Whn
are the Federal's candidates.' The Of
interest III the selection Of candidates,
and are able through loyal and sub
serVient minor officials, merchants and
others. who pass the word quietly, ia
communicate the wishes of the com
pany concerning any coming eleclioA,
and every miner knows as he goes TO
The polls that the votes from a mine
employ ing several hundred men VAL
loom largely in the final count, and o>
an organized system of detectives To-
cally known as spotters, men who show
spirit OF political independence ARE
| likely to be discovered and treated ac-
cordngly, either by being promptly
discharged, with no reasons given, ~
! by being placed in wet, difficult pr
dangerous places to work, until com =
PEELED to quit in self protection,
An instance may be cited where a
call was sent out for the assembly o1
jcertain trusted foremen, shift bosses
and a few others at the general Offices
on the eve of election, where the gen
eral manager in person indicated t.
them his wishes. Political adherents
and personal friends Of the manage
lment visited the mines and instructed
the employees how to vote acceptably
To further illustrate the importance
Ito this company of political influence
lmay be mentioned the fact that one 81
it's high Offices is occupied by county
official elected by the people to serve
their interests and who Is at the SAINT
time receiving large salary from ths
Federal company, in addition to per-
sonal privileges granted by the unitet
stores company as recently revealed
in the district court room,
incidentally, ! wish to refer aSaD
to a certain lease given on the Bean
cry" by the Federal company in 1el.
to the United Stores company, 3i3nrt
lonly by the then general manager o
1.-The former company. The bylaws pro-
Ivde that such transfers shall be sign
ed by the president and countorslGnc'
by the secretary, The state laws %
Idaho provides that such leases OF pr"
perty shall be attcstcd, acknowledg {
land recorded to become legal WIN
has such public record never beei
made? Why is it considered necessary
Iby these contracting parties, that thei
business relations shall be kept secret
Icven from many of the stockholdtra
The Bible refers to those who lov'
darkness rather than light. because
Resides contributing 81 per montl
to the benefit fund Of the accident IN
surance association. each man ch'
ployed pays in 81 per month to ho@
pital fund. emitting him to surBlca
and medical care in one of the Wal
lace hospitals At the time OF slgnln
lup the various contracts incidental t
employment, a man is given cho1c
between the two hospitals and tn
fund is apportio out according t
the preferences indicated by the mer
This arrangement gives chance IL
a competitive system and 1t Is sal
that commissions have been paid i
local offices for influence In these Sc
lections. No hospital exists III tn
Canyon creek district or in Mullan, n
even a place for the application of tirs
aid to the injured, who must be trans
ported seven miles over mountai
road, in sun or rain, by day or nigh
before receiving attention thus aggra
. waiting suffering and rendering deaf
more likely,
Approximately 900 men arc engage
lin mine work In the Mullan section
which will insure an income of S?u
per month toward the maintenance
a hospital. Why do not the represcl
; ltatjvcs Of the various companies e
together in an effort TO establish a
institution for these men close to u
mnes--the Morning. the Hunter II
lSnowstorm, the National and Others
Evidence was given IN court that "
was necessary to build boardin
house for the accommodation of tt
miners" but it has never been foull
necessary to establish a hospit'
, near any of the Federal properties.
A.