Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-01-09

Teaping what they have been sowing
for years. This Is CClJrados fourth
great strike. They have occurred at
intervals Of about 10 years. After the
strike In 1Ss3.S4 the mines were opera
ted with imported strike breakers. the
Anglo-Saxon miners being in the min
ority. The new Corners were non-En.
glish speaking foreigners, men much
inferior TO the strikers whose places
they filed. The strikers ten years
later were these strike breakers v no
had been imported into the state 10
years before. The strike was again
won by bringing In another group
OF strike breakers, all foreigners,
and viewed as labCrers, an APP
ppreciably inferior class of men.
Ten years later these, men went on
strike apd, after deporting their lead
ers the companies brought in men to
take their places. men from southern
Italy, Greeks, Slays. Mexieans, Jap
anese. 26 nationalities in all. In the
counties of Las Animas and Huerfano
live only Ills of the population,
but these counties hive two-thirds OF
the illiteracy of the ate. 1t is these
men who have found conditions intol-
cradle and have struck One OF the
prominent mine men said Look
what a class of men ne have to deal
with" Surely they DO have troubles,
but the companies have debased the
quality and efficiency Of their own
working men. The saving element in
the bad situation. as viewed from the
human standpoint. is that the burning
desire to know English and the effort
TO learn the language. the common
tasks and pressing problems, have
drawn these men together. developed
and improved them. so that in ten
years they have become independent,
fired with new ambition, and what is
more TO the point, they have learned
the meaning of brotherhood and the
value OF cooperation. The companies
are fighting this baltic in the same old
way.
The strikers are non English speak
ing people who know little of our GUS
toms and are utterly unable to appre-
ciate conditions as they exist A job
means a chance to make money; they
live in barracks under guard. are saw
ing their money and each one hopes
to return to his own country after the
strike is over and live in comfort the
rest of his life.
The wrongs are not all on one side,
but the greater responsibility lies on
the shoulders Of those who have the
greatest opportunities and who refuse
TO follow the rule of reason and arbf-
irate their differences.
Following is the re. ort on the Mich
igan copper strike:
The copper country" of Michigan
occupies the heart OF the Keweenaw
peninsula, which pushes out into Lake
Superior and forms the most northerly
part OF the state.
The mines have been operated for
half century, for the most part hui
namely as we'll as efficiently, The
cities and towns in the region have
had an unusually high reputation for
orderliness, morality and religious life.
There are few OF the bad features
which one Is accustomed TO find in
such communities no recognized seq
regated vice district, no open gambling
and very little drunkenness. Yet in
spite OF all these prerequisites OF peace
and prosperity. extraordinary bitter
hess developed, paralyzing the moral
sense and weakening the forces which
make for righteousness. After months
Of warfare, during which time thou
sands Of dollars we're lost and many
lives sacrificed, the miners voted to
give up the struggle. The companies
agreed to take back such workers as
had not been mixed up in any acts of
violence. and who were willing to give
up their membership in the union.
The Mines.
The district has approximately AZ
mines producing annually 100000
pounds of copper, valued at about
$S0,o00. GEO. Only about half of the
mines are producing The others are
being developed. The Calumet and
Hecla Company hold a commanding
position in the community. 1t has
some of the richest mines, produces
more than half OF the copper output,
and employs nearly half of the entire
working forces IN the district. With
a capitalization Of s2.500,0G0, it has
paid dividends in the last so wears
of about $i25.0o0, 900. The average
annual dividend for a period of 10
years has been 5000 on each share
at par value of S25, and the pres.
ent market value Of s42O.
The mine owners are in command of
the community life The Calumet and
Hecla has built the public library. the
armory. a bath, house, and 10 public
schools which are rented to the school
district, Many of the principal COM
rnunity institutions hive been furnish
ed by this, or other topper companies.
The leading papers are controlled alb
solutely by the mining interests. The
mine managers dom nate the county
board of supervisors and other agen-
cies of local government.
Process o. Mining. -....=.
The shaft of the copper mine is
pierced every 100 feet downward by
levels. Trans run IN these levels to
the chambers where the rock is cut.
These chambers are inown as slopes.
The drills are operated by compress