Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-30
STORY OF THE Correspondence
BETWEEN JOHN D, ROCKEFELLER,
R., AND LIN. BOWERS OF CT. & |. co.

sible to discharge incompetent labor
without the matter being brought up
for investigation by officials OF the
union both in and out of the state;
and numerous Requirements that prac-
tically take away the mines from the
control of the owners and place them
in the hands Of these, in many cases
disreputable agitators Socialists and
anarchists.
In canvassing our numerous mines
we find practically all of our miners
opposed to strike or any disturb
ance in the relations existing between
the company and themselves. includ-
ing possible five or ten per cent. who
are inactive members of the union.
These labor agitators claim that all
the things above enumerated which
have been put in operation by our
company without demands or solicita-
ton, are unobserved in Southern Col
orado. While they may be able to find
a few little operators who are not
doing as well for their miners as we
are, they make no distinction and
give the impression broadcast that all
the coal mines in southern Colorado,
including our own, are guilty OF ylo-
lating all Of those rules which the
unions have been able to secure in
many sections Of the country. So far
as we are concerned every single
word is false. We have the good will
Of our men and they are perfectly
satisfied. Not more than ten per cent.
hplnnO n ~ fhaco
miners who have belonged to union
in the eastern states for many years
and retain their membership as a
matter Of sentiment rather than pro-
lection.
1T is difficult to tell what the out
come of the threatened strike will be.
as letters are being sent to our min
ers demanding that they quit their
jobs or it will go hard with them. Fear
of the blackhanders, especiallys among
| the foreigners is far from being phan-
TOM but is a real thing. Though we
hope to be able TO keep a large num-
Der Of our men many of those who do
go out will after a few days, when
they find We are able to protect them,
return to their work"
There follows in the correspondence
a telegram dated Sept. "a in which
Mr.. Rockefeller personally >congratu-
lated the officers Of the company on
the showing Of the fiscal year as set
forth in a statement sent east Sep
TENDER "a.
| The next letter is a rather lengthy
espitle. from Mr.. Bowers, addressed to
MIR. Rockefeller under date of Sept. IS
! six days after the strike went into
| effect. In it Mr.. Bowers claimed that
seven thousand Of the eight thousand
men who quit from fear Of the black
handler and similar organizations, who
through letters or face to face threat
ened TO kill the men, do their VIC.
lence 10 theiE wives and daughters
and practice all Of the hellish villainy
that these creatures possess.
| He mentioned the killing of a mar
| shall and several minor disorders an6
| adds: Hayes, vice president of the
United Mine Workers of America, to-
sether with Representatives here ,ir
the state, are the principal mischief
| makers. Old Mother Jones has
| been on the ground for two weeks, but
Saturday, we understand, the govern
or ordered her to be taken to the state
| line and ordered not to return "
| Mr. Ethelbert Stewart who called
at your office, is in the state and il
surrounded by and associating Will
| Hayes, Brake and Lawson and othe,
men of that stamp who are at the
| bottom of this strike. Mr.. Stewar,
spent part Of one afternoon with me
| Cnintp !,
| agitators and he confessed that the
! Colorado Fuel & Iron Company were
meeting every requirement of organ
| lied labor in any bituminous coal
mining section of this country. =.
challenged him to point out wherein
We could better our men or the mer
could better themselves by joining the
union and he was unable to say 6
word IN reply, except to state tina,
united labor was often able TO secure
what they would be unable to &c,
/ unorganiZed.
| 'lde was told that we would worl
such mines as we could protect ant
! close the others, and that the writer
with every official of this cempan,
would stand by this declaration unit
our bones were bleached as white a:
chalk in these Rocky Mountains"
The next communication bearing OF
the correspondence contained copies O.
kilograms between Secretary Wilson
Of the Department Of Labor and Johr
D. Rockefeller, Jr., which the latte,
sent to Mr.. Bowers, Nov q. Secre.
tary Wilson asked Mr.. Rockefeller te
! have representatives of coal conpa
MES in Colorado meet the union lead.
ers with a view to finding a basis TO,
settlement. Mr.. Rockefeller declined
TO act, referring the Secretary t.
the company's officers in Colorado. He
added: ''The action Of our officers il
refusing to meet the strike leaders
is quite as much in the interest of oul
employees as Of any other element in
the company. There position meets
with our cordial approval and we
shall support them to the end"
Appreciation for your splendid
support" is expressed in the lette,
which Mr.. Bowers wrote to Mr.
Rockefeller Nov. %. In this comrnu
| nipafinn he cajS al ha lo+