The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-01-30
MICHIGAN UNIONS
LEVY ASSESSMENT
Seventy Thousand Men and
Women to Aid the Copper
Miners on Strike.
GRAND JURY ADJOURNS
Congressional Subcommittee
Expected to Leave for the
West Next Week.

LANSING, Mich, Jan. 29.-After a
series of sharp, bitter skirmishes over
resolutions which kept the conference
in a turmoil delegates representing
every labor union of Michigan, in ses-
sion today, imposed a weekly assess
ment of from to 80 cents upon every
employed union man and woman In the
state, to provide fund for the assist
ance Of miners who are on strike in
the Calumet copper region. The reso-
luton allows each person affected to
contribute a weekly amount which he
feels he can afford. The assessment
will be levied on about 10000 persons,
according to Claude o. Taylor, pres-
dent of the state Federation of Labor.
\ resolution urging the American
Federation Of Labor to call a nation
wide strike in sympathy with the
Calumet miners was supported on the
floor of the conference only by members
of local unions of the United Mine
Workers of America Other mine work
ers opposed the resolution, which was
also opposed by the resolutions com
mittee. 1t finally was tabled.
Governor Criticised.
Almost all of the resolutions con.
sldered by the conference resulted in
criticism of the state militia and the
manner in which Governor Ferris con-
Quoted his investigation of the Calumet
strike
Daniel G. Kelley of Grand Rapids, who
represented the International Typo
graphical union, declared Governor Fer
ris could have settled the strike had
he gone TO Calumet and investigated
after the miners quit work.
50 Instead, be sent militiamen there,
for what reason l do not know said
Kelley.
After Kelley spoke the conference
referred to tho executive committee of
the state Federation Of Labor resolu-
tlons favoring a tonnage tax upon ore
and the passage of law placing the
expense of militia maintenance upon
the county into which the National
Guardsmen are ordered for service.
Resolution Tabled.
A resolution urging government
ownership of the copper mines of the
United States was tabled.
The conference tried unsuccessfully
Ferris discussing his recent investiga-
tion in the copper country.
Before the conference adjourned to-
night it empowered the executive COM
mittee Of the Michigan Federation of
Labor to urge the governor immediate.
ly to make public the Calumet situa-
ton as he views it.
The approaching investigation of the
Upper Peninsula trouble by a congress
sional committee received only casual
comment from the delegates
The conference. however, praised
Representative Mcdonald of Michigan
for his efforts to procure an investiga-
tion.
Grand Jury Quits.
HOUGHTON, Mich, Jan, 2o.-After
devoting two days to an investigation
Of the Painesdale murders, in which
three non"union men were killed, the
special grand jury which has been in
quiring into disorders growing out of
the copper mine strike was discharged
today from further service. A. Il.
Heidkamp, the foreman, announced to
the court that the body had no further
report to make.
The grand jury began it's delibera-
tlons on December 10. Seven indict-
ments and seven "no true bills" were
lcPolicu, diuOlp tuo lOrHcT DglnG the
true hill against Charles H. Mover,
president, aud thlrtyseyen members of
the Western Federation of Miners on
the, charge of conspiring to interfere
with non-union miners. !
Although no indictments were found
in the Painesdale case, the jury recon-
mended that a further investigation
should be made by the sheriff g office,
Arguments on the preliminary mo.
tions made by counsel for the union
miners in the so-called strike cases
will be heard tomorrow, it, was an,
nounced tonight by George Z. Nichols,
the special prosecutor.
Tho trial of the six deputies of sec
ond degree murder as the result of the
killing OF three strikers at Seeberville
last August Is docketed for trial in
the Houghton county circuit court, be.
ginning next Monday.
Subcommittee Chosen.