The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-04-30

are at their wits end TO find some way
to get out of the pit they helped these
leaders to dig. so we are encouraged
to stick TO the job till we win"
The final exchanges occurred In the
latter half of last December and re-
lates that the company had appointed
David Griffiths to "spend, practically
all OF his time at the mines. investi-
eating and adjusting complaints"
These last communications were
sent to Mr.. Rockefeller by j. +. Wei
born. president OF the company, and
detailed at considerable length some
OF the experiences which executive
officers of the concern had with dis
satisfied individual workmen.
On December 80. 1914. Mr.. Rookie
Teller wrote to Mr.. welborn express
ing his qualification at this step. and
adding that 1T will be the wish OF
all those connected with the fuel
company TO introduce as rapidly as
may seem expedient the various pro-
eressive steps I'm such plan as your
| further thought will suggest. looking
forward to the prevention of pos
| sible recurrence at any time in the
future of the disorder and loss on
every hand which has. resulted from
4 the recent strike.
II believe that you share with us
| the desire to show all Difference and
courtesy TO the presidents commits
sion and our feeling that their APP
prevail OF your plan and II necessary
their CO operation will help material
~ In securing the approval not only
of the, administration but Of the pub
,lic al large"
The next letter is n rather lengthy
epistle. from Mr. Bowers, addressed
to Mr.. Rockefeller under date OF
September go. six days after the strike
| went into effect I'm II Mr.. Bowers
claimed that seven thousand of the
| eight thousand men who quit from
fear of the blackhander and similar
organizations, who. through letters or
face to face threatened to kill men.
do their violence to their wives and
daughters and practice all of their
hellish villainy that these creatures
possess"
Mothsr Jones Ordered Away.
He mentioned the killing of a mar
shall and several minor disorders and
| adds: "Hayes. vice president of the
United Mine Workers of America. to-
gether with representatives here In
the state, are the principal mischief
makers. Old Mother Jones
has been on the ground for two weeks
but Saturday, we understand. the gov
| ernor ordered her to be taken to the
state line and ordered not to return.
Mr. Ethelbert Stewart. who called
at your office, is i'm the state and Is
surrounded by and associating with
Hayes. Brake. and Lawson and other
men of that stamp who are at the
bottom of this strike. Mr.. Stewart
spent part of one afternoon with me.
going over every point raised by these
agitators and he confessed that the
Colorado Fuel and Iron company were
meeting every requirement of organ
lied labor In any bituminous coal min
ing section OF this country. :.
I challenged him to point out wherein
we could better our men or the men
should better themselves by joining
the union and he was unable to say
a word i'm reply. except to state that
united labor was often able to secure
what they would be unable to get un-
organized
"He was told that we would work
such mipes as we could protect and
close the others. and that the writer
with every official OF this company
would stand by this declaration until
our bones were bleacbed as white as
chalk in these Rocky Mountains"
Rockefeller Declined to Act.
The next communication bearing on
the correspondence contained comics
of kilograms between Secretary VIII
son OF the department of labor and
John ID. Rockefeller. Jr, which the
latter sent to Mr.. Bowers. November
q. Secretary Wilson asked Mr.. Rock
/, efeller to have representatives of coal
| companies I'm Colorado meet the union
leaders with a view TO finding basis
for settlement. Mr.. Rockefeller de-
clined to act. referring the secretary
to the company's officers i'm Colorado.
He added "The action of our Off
| Ger I'm refusing to meet the strike
leaders Is quite as much i'm the in
terest of our employees as of any 9TH
er element I'm the company. Their
htctto WIN Jul dppfO
val and we shall support them TO the
end"
Appreciation for your splendid, sup
port Is expressed I'm the letter which
Mr.. Bowers wrote to Mr.. Rockefeller
November %. In this communication
he said call the hot air In regard 10
band conditions and unfairness, so far
as the Colorado Fuel and Iron com :
pany Is concerned, have evaporated.
The only thing that Is demanded now
is conference. so that they can claim
recognition of their union"
Mr.. Bowers goes to say that the
strike Is developing into a political
issue and expresses the opinion that
none of the Colorado political leaders
would dare to come out In opposi-
ton to the open shop. So long as the
politicians can ride two horses going
in opposite directions at the same
time without attracting the attention
of the public. they are reasonably safe,
but that time Is coming to an end"
No further Communications were
exchanged until April 13. 1914, In
that date Mr.. Bowers again wrote
to Mr.. Rockefeller pleading that he
had been busy and that few matters
OF importance in connection with the
strike had come up.
speaking broadly" he said, there
Is decided Weakening all along the
Tine on the Dart of the labor leaderA