The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-02-10
Big PROBE into THE
MICHIGAN COPPER Mine
Continued From Page One.

continued FROM Page One.
senior counsel for the companies, said
Judge Hilton's statement was a fair
type OF the campaign of miSrepresen-
tation n falsehood which has beer
characteristic Of the situation from the
inception of the strike"
The committee decided to take I'D
the subjects Of inquiry in regular or
der, Chairman Taylor and Mr.. How
ell both expressing the opinion that
the existence of conditions alleged
should be proved before they could
properly inquire into the causes.
William J. Richard, president of the
Calumet local of the Western Fedora
ton OF Miners, was the first witness
to take the stand. He gave his age as
"A years, and said he had worked for
mining companies since he was II
years old. He had barely begun his
narrative when the committee ad-
journed until tomorrow morning at 9
O'Clock. He was one of the strikers
witnesses summoned to show underly-
ing causes, and was heard because only
these witnesses were ready.
W will show that it has been i'm
possible for men to get work unless
they traded at certain stores; when
they were hopelessly in debt they were
denied houses to live in unless they
continued to patronize these stores.
We will show that the wages paid
have been lower and meaner than
those of the underpaid labor of the old
world. Conditions so startling will be
revealed that they seem to us a COM
plete justification Of the strike"
Judge Hilton declared that the rate
Of mortality in these mines was
amonp the highest known in mining;
that human life was taken and consid-
cred as less than that of a mule:
that trammers were compelled to push
cars along poor tracks as much as It's
miles daily and that they had never
been paid living wages. He said that
many Of the miners were compelled to
work lin q veritable inferno, and
often a to be taken out unconscious:
there was no ventilation in some of
the mines and no water to drink ex-
cept that which seeped through cracks
in the rocks.
A comparison of wages paid here
and elsewhere would be presented. he
said, and the way the demands of
the men were received by, the COM
panies would be described. He said
the companies had not relented in
naughty attitude and declared
that they would take their men only
on condition that they O sur
render their union cards, and promise
never again to affiliate with the West
ern Federation Miners or anv like
bodies. -.
MI. Rees vehemently denied that
any such conditions as had been des-
cribed by Judge Hilton existed.
d 1--WE simply desire at this time to
said Mr.. Rees "that it has been
publicly charged the constitution and
laws have been overthrown, and de-
fed. . --..
1.-THE civil rights amendments of the
constitution, and the civil rights Sec
tons Of the revised statutes guarantee
protection to all citizens in their con-
stitutional rights. The right of the
laboring man to labor is one of those
guaranteed rights.
Representing not to exceed rs per
cent of the employees of the companies
without adequate grievance. without
presenting any grievances, the West
ern Federation of Miners instituted
the strike" he continued. with their
organized forces, they forcibly closed
the mines. and drove from their work
the employees of the company, they
assaulted and beat UP every person
were filled with those wounded, and
it required state troops to restore even
a semblance of order and of that con-
stitutional protection which they gov
by it's laws guarantees. The
local authorities ere defed; local Off
of the law were assaulted and
beaten and in this way the constitu-
ton was overthrow and the laws de-
fed" 80
At the opening Of the hearing
Chairman Taylor read a letter he re-
from Governor Ferris declin-
an invitation to attend the hear
lngs. He explained that he invited the
consideration for the state. He said
he did not think the governors letter
required an answer. ~