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

/ tcTlUE, Sdtu the lttttf ~ 10 ihpvc
sible to discharge incompetent labor
without the matter being brought foI
investigation by officials of the unior
both in and out of the state: and nu.
merous requirements that PRACTICAL,
take away the mines from the contro
of the owners and place them I'm the
hands of these. I'm many cases dis
reputable agitators. socialists and an
archists.
In canvassing our numerous mines
we find practically all OF our miners
opposed TO strike or any disturbance
in the relations existing between the
company and themselves, including
possibly five or ten per cent who are
inactive members OF theNunion. These
labor agitators -. claim thai
all the things above enumerated
which have been put I'm operation by
our company without demands or So
licitation. are unobserved In Southern
Colorado. While they may be able
TO find few little operators who
are not doing as well for their
miners MS we are. they make no dis
tinctlon and give the impression
broadcast that oil the coal mines I'm
Southern Colorado. including our own
are guilty of violating 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
I the good will of our men and they are
perfectly satisfied. Not more than ten
per cent belong to union and these
are old miners who have belonged to
union I'm the eastern states for many
years and retain their membership as
a matter of sentiment rather than
protection.
Difficult to Perdiet Outcome.
1T Is difficult 10 tell what the out
come of the threatened strike will be,
as letters are being sent to our miners
demanding that they quit their jobs
or Il will go hard with them. Fear OF
the blackhanders. especially among
the foreigners is far from be-
ing phantom. but is a real thing.
Though we hope to be able TO keep a
large number of our men many OF
, those who do go ont will after few
days. when they find we are able to
protect them. return TO their work"
There follows In the correspondence
a telegram dated, September "a I'm
which Mr.. Rockefeller personally
congratulated the officers OF the COM
pany on the showing of the fiscal
year as set forth I'm a statement sent
east September "a.
On April 25, Mr.. Bowers wrote 10
! Mr.. Rockefeller enumerating objec-
tions to a cooperative agreement
sent you by J. B. Cory. of Braddock
Pa" The nature of this agreement
| was not revealed in the letter. but II
was rejected by Mr.. Bowers because
: of conditions prevailing I'm the min
! ing industry I'm the states west OF the
Missouri riyer-principally because
of the great number of small mines
$50 that no cooperative agreement
has ever been possible" OF these
smaller concerns. he wrote: mo de-
pendence can be placed on their ad-
herence TO any working plan for any
length Of time"
MIR. Rockefeller Complinented.
In this letter Mr.. Bowers takes &c
casion to tell Mr. Rockefeller that he
! had received a large number of let
tiers. telephone calls and personal
visits from prominent men I'm all lines
OF business, and professions compli-
mcnting yoh on your testimcay be-
| fore the congressional committee
! He also forwards letter from
George ]. Kindcll. Denver congress
man but this letter does not appear
, In the correspondence as given out
+, by the commission.
On April 2s. 29. 30 and May /. 2
| 3. and 6 Messrs. Rockefeller and
, Bowers exchanged numerous tele-
grams regarding various strike dis
orders. newspaper accounts of the
happenings and statements by con-
gressmen and telegrams sent by the
operators to- President Wilson and
other government officials.
| On May 6 Mr.. Bowers sent to Starr
]. Murphy long letter containing
notes from the legal department OF
the government regarding criticism
/ Of the company which appeared In
The New York Evening Post Of Nav
/ 1. These notes were intended Ia
show that he reforms mentioned In
Mr.. Bowers letter OF September ~
had been initiated by the company
| voluntarily rather than under pres
| sure OF legislative enactment I'm Co.
dorado. The eight hour law. semi
| monthly pay, check weighmen and
scales inspection. the company stores
and anti-truck act were discussed rs
was also the question OF armed
| guards. The use OF these latter was
justified on the ground of necessity.
| The next communication OF impor-
lance was dated August I. 1914. and
was addressed to w. l.. Mackenzie
King. OF Toronto. Canada. The com
missions records do not show who
1 wrote this letter. but the writer asked
Mr.. King who was about to start or
q western trip. to transmit to him his
opinion as to plan by which an or
| ganization in the mining camps could
be formed so that the men could have
a medium for the adjustment of flu
ture grievances.
Time Was inopportune.
| On August rs, Mr.. Bowers wrote
Mr.. Rockefeller. giving reasons VIII,
the writer considered the time for the
establishment of such an organization
inopportune. Mr. Bowers feared thai
the union leaders would advertise
such step as having been forced
from the companies by the strike
He added:
AT the proper time the writer will
give his cordial support and will take
an active part In formulating such Z
scheme and help to make Il valuable
TO both miners and the compan,