The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-06-18
Miners Decide by OVerwEelm-
ing Majority, 6,348 TO 243,
to Abolish System Of Show
ing Cards al the Mines.
Federation Faction Threatens 10
Call Out Affiliated Bodies
and Attempt General Shut
Down in the District.

Butte Mont, June 1S.-Two meet
ings of insurgents of the Butte local
of the Western Federation of Miners
will be held today and tonight at
which report of the voting on the
question of showing cards of tho
Western Federation at the mines will
be officially announced. Two meet
ings are necessary because of two
shifts at the mines.
The voting as announced early was
GAS in favor of abolishing the card
showing, and 243 in favor of the cards.
The meetings also will consider
what action to take in regard to or
ganizing a new union. The insur-
gents announced that in the interest
of peace there will be no parade to-
day in celebration Of the overwhelm-
ing victory of the resembling OF tho
rule regarding the cards, which was
one of the main causes of the split in
the union.
Mines May Be Closed.
''The vote in favor of abolishing the
presentation Of cards at the mines will
result i'm the formation of an indepen-
dent organization. There will be no af-
fliation with the Western Federation"
said William O'Brien, who will be tenn
porary chairman of the meetings.
In a statement a committee OF the
Butte miners union said the operators
will respect the contracts with the
Butte union, and if an independent
union is formed will call out the en-
gineers and other affiliated. This will
close the mines.
At one of the meetings of the Sc
ceders held yesterday n former miner
in the Black Hills attacked the homes
ty of the officials of the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners.
There was 100000 raised in Butte
and other unions for that strike. but
how much of it did we get?" he asked
These smooth guys from Denver had
a gay time while We were starving.
and that is how the Western Fedora
tion of Miners does business"
The crowd was getting impatient
and Dan Shovlin's motion that the
meeting adjourned to meet at the call
of the executive committee was car
ried with a rush. Before going the
miners were advised to stand firm, and
as the miners focked out they shout
ed:
"No More Federation"
''Well do her. boys; no more Fed
Grafton for us"
Bradley. n member of the inter-
viewing committee, said at an outdoor
meeting:
Boys. this is not moment TO listen
to hotheads. What we do must be
right. Let's see if we can get all the
miners TO stick with us i'm our fight
against the union and Federation,
ana IL not, let us go bck, for we cam
not have any strength when divided
one speaker said that the ballots on
Western Federation officers never
would be counted. for they were de-
stroyed.
"Moyer and his gang always waited
until all other locals reported their
ballots and then Butte gave him
enough To elect him" he said.
Strong For New Organization.
The seceders in a statement issued
last night reviewed the causes Of dis
satisfaction in the miners union. They
accused the officers of employing ex-
convicts to deport miners who OBJ
jected to the officers ruling.
They also alleged that sick and
death benefits have not been paid.
Ninety per cent of the local union,
according to the seceders, are in the
crusade to establish new organiza-
tion. The statement closes by saying
there is no intention of involving the
mine owners In the present troubles.