Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-01-15
FERRIS UNABLE To
END COPPER WAR
Owners Say They Won't Recog-
nize w. F. of Nj.
GOVERNOR LEAVES SCENE
Miners Assert They viii Not Return
TO Work Until Operators Agree to
Meet Tern1@Moyer Arrives
at Hancock.

Houghton, Mich, Jan. 10.-Gov.
Woodbridge y. Ferris strike settle
ment craft has foundered on the rock
that all other Cancellation schemes
have struck in the copper country Of
Michigan-the refusal of the mine
managers to recognize the Western
Federation OF Miners.
The copper mine operators appeared
before Governor Ferris at his inquiry
into the existing strike Thursday and
announced that union labor as such
was not repuenant to them. They de-
clared. however, that the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners could hope for no
consideration from company sources.
On this point their attitude was I'M
changeable.
After getting this information Gov
ernor Ferris seemed in doubt whether
TO use his power of persuasion in an
effort to settle the strike He held a
conference with Victor Berger, Ser-
mour Stedman of Chicago, ami
Charles Edward Russell, a committee
investigating the strike for the Social
list party. He said afterward he ex-
pected to start for Big Rapids today.
Meantime the inquiry by Julius J.
Patek of IrOnwood in behalf of the
consul general of Austria Hungary
into allegations that subjects of that
country had been compelled TO work
in the mines against their viii was
completed.
Il shall recommend to the Austrian
government that it take steps for a
writ of habeas corpus in federal
courts" said Mr. Patek, "basing this
recommendation on evidence which |
have collected in eight cases.
IF this evidence is true then the
South Kearsarge and Allouez people
are guilty of holding men in bondage
or peonage."
The habeas corpus proceedings were
recommended because Mr.. Patek
couldn't find some Of the men whose
relatives had complained. Three men
had disappeared together. He be-
lieved they had been shifted against
their will from one mine to another.
Two panaceas for the strike situa-
ton were presented TO the governor
at his meeting with the Socialists.
Mr.. Russell said the state executive
could end the trouble if he would use
his power with the mining companies
to force them to recognize the West
ern Federation of Miners
viii you do ito" asked Mr. Russell
mo, sir, l will not" was the en-
phatic response.
Mr.. Berger proposed that all mine
guards and deputies be withdrawn,
that the sound sense of the citizens
be trusted to preserve law and order
and that the state in some way pro-
tect the men from eviction.
Meyers appearance before the
grand jury aroused the greatest inter
est among the miners Guarded by
deputy sheriffs, he went before the
jury with Charles Tanner, auditor of
the Western Federation of Miners
The hearing lasted about two hours.
Afterward Mover and Tanner returned
to the hotel III Hancock, whence they
were taken a fortnight ago. The ma
ture of their testimony was not dis
closed
The strike of copper miners called
July % was opposed by the officials of
the Western Federation of Miners.
This was emphasized before Governor
Ferris on Wednesday by representa-
tiyes of the union.
While the hearing was in progress
in Houghton Adjt. Gen. r. c. Wander
cook announced in Lansing that all
the state troops in the strike district
will be Withdrawn January u.
A fuse and cap were found a few
feet from the dynamite. 1t was the
theory of officers investigating the in
cident THAI the persons responsible for
the plant lost the fuse and cap and
thus were unable to blow up the build
ing or cause the death of Lucas, if
that was the object of the plot Mr.
Lucas left the building 4 few minutes
before the discovery to keep an ap-
pointment with Governor Ferris.