The copper era and Morenci leader., 1915-10-01
GOVERNOR IF ARIZONA
 ISSUES STATEMENT
Especial to the Clifton Era. )

Special to the Clifton Era.)
 Phoenix, Ariz., Oct. 1.-Gov. Hunt tonight gave out this interview rel ative to the situation in the Clifton Moienci-Metcalf mining district:
 While the fact that I returned from Clifton only this afternoon and found waiting me numerous matters requiring immediate attention natur- ally precludes me form making to- day any statement at length con cerning the industrial situation at ! Clifton, I may briefly summarize the most salient features of the striks in the Clifton-Morenci district
 "On my arrival in Clifton last Tuesday I authorized the announce ment that I would welcome any pre- sentation of facts regarding the cessa- tion of operations in the mines which might be forthcoming from either the company managers or the workmen. Following this announcement inter- views with the managers of three leading mine companies of the dis trict and with representative delega- tion of workmen were speedily ar ranged and during these and succeed ing interviews extending over the period of several days for which I remained in Clifotn, the company managers were on a number of occa- sions encouraged to make comprehen- sive statements concerning the events which led to the present unfortunate crisis and regarding their attitude to- ward propositions relative to the ob- taining of an amicable adjustment of difficulties. It is conservative to es- innate furthermore that during my comparatively brief stay in the Clifton-Morenci district fully six hun dred workingmen from the various departm entS of the mines called on me and gave me much interesting and useful information regarding the con ditions which preceded the shutdown. Much of the testimony was recorded by a stenographer and will be care fully reviewed during my extended consideration of the strike situation.
 While the different interviews in- dicate quite conclusively, that there were numerous working conditions objected to on the part of workmen the greater part of existing difficult ties seem to have centered firstly Of fhn q as compared with those prevailing in other mining districts of the state, and secondly, the absence of any uni form scale as applied to different last mentioned conditions observed in connection with the Arizona Cop per Co.,, partly for the reason; it is to be assumed, that the latter cor of men than the other two compa- nies operating in the same district, thus leading naturally to a prepon- derance of testimony regarding the working conditions previling in Clifton, where the Arizona Copper Co. plant is located. By the forego- ling statement, however, I do not by any means intend to convey the im- pression that the other two compa- nies of the district were not the ob- jects of numerous complaints on the part of the men who until recently have been employed in their hold ings.
 "A further cause of complaint which was very frequently raised in the course of the Interviews held related to the practice of deducting hospital fees monthly from the wa ges of the workmen of the Arizona Copper Co.,, and thereafter placing upon the occupants of the hospital an additional assessment of one dollar day curing the ,..-si..l nf a work mans detention at the company hos pital. =.
 Tn addition to the foregoing there was of course numerous instances where men who had served for many years stated that on the impairment of their efficiency owing to an acci- dent or advanced age they were dis charged outright, or suffered a merked decrease in their earnings. Added to the foregoing reasons for complaint were other sources of un- rest varying considerably in their importance, but in most instances capable of being remedied through comparatively slight effort on the part of the companies. Considering the situation in the Clifton-Morenci district as a whole, it is in my opin- lion quite apparent that some of the