Mohave County miner., 1916-08-05
BOOTLEGGERS' UNION
 USES HEROIC MEANS
 ID SMOKE OUT SCABS
rFrom oatman Section Daily Minsr.I

From Oatman Section Daily Minsr.I
 Ruinous and unfair competition up- on the part of "scabs" and some un- principled membersof the Bootleggers' union-who, it is a pleasure to state, are in a vast minority-recently caused an upheaval or upsetting of the prices of beer in Oatman, which was so pro found in its actions that for time it looked like the very foundations of the industry itself were threatened.
 As was stated by this paper a month and half ago, the union fixed a price of 50 cents a pint for beer. This was admitted to be but a reason able price and a fair remuneration to cover transportation, risk and the benefits to be derived in such immod- erately dry weather in Arizona. Any thing under that price savers of cut throat methods and ruinous practices, which find no parallel short of the unfair rebates of railroad companies and of the damnable practices of the Standard Oil company in selling its products lower at one part of the country than another when the only purpose is to put independents out of business.
 There are good trusts and bad ones; also good and bad unions. The Oat- man Bootleggers' union is one of the good ones. It fixed a price that was right and fair. Anything else, any thing tending to cut those prices, could have no other effect than ruin, and it is with sorrow that the best people of the camp have had to take sides in denouncing this form of pi- racv. In this case, it was the action of ofindependents-fly-by-nights who are here today and away tomorrow who have made the trouble, and the union is to be congratulated in put ting them out of business.
 If anyone thinks it was an easy task. done by a mere twist of the wrist, his mind will be disabused. It required a heroic mood on the part of men who have the nerve to do things, hut in this union, which has to its credit now the tiding over crisis Tn Oatman, there are men to whom this credit is due.
 For several days-over a week there has been opposition to the union. An inferior grade of beer was hawked before the eyes of members of the union at 35 cents a pint. At first the impulse was to treat it's appearance with the silent contempt that 1t de served. but a new angle to comph- cated situation quickly developed. It was the fact that too many people are willing victims for such tactics when tbe halt of cheapness is Haunted Tn their faces, and they will fall for sucn wanton methods. Then it came to a matter of retaliation, reprlsals, de- fense of the best interests of Oatman and various measures and matters or vital importance.
 Thursday last became red-letter day. rather red-letter evening, and the nnion was there first with the trump cards and a joker. It hated to coun- tenance a rate war, but that was the only course for quick results. Like a flash the word went down the line down the highway-and the price oi lbeer all Thursday night was ID cents . nintl It was not the unions dolngS hut it showed that it could beat the "scabs" and independents" even al their own despicable game.
 Results naturally flow from crltlca situations. These flowed great dea and for several hours, but more went in original packages in tonneau. |, [, made quite a change in things al over town. and to show the foresight and preparedness of the union, 1t has nlaced the population of oatman in condition of safety that should las, through the remainder of the hoI weather. Incidentally, the "scaos
 "nirates" and independents, witt their ruinous tactics, will find slln ,,,arl,et in Oatman during that period so it is believed. If the belief prove: to he false, the union is ready to tro, them another heat and next time VII nut it down to a nickel or nothing al all, if need be.
 That there is a real loss on every hint of beer sold in Oatman at sucf nrices. every person knows, but th' nnion members took that course onl! after it was forced upon them. If the! have to employ even more drastl' measures next time, which IS liable t' happen any day, then watch for pint for a nickel or free of charge.
 Friday morning the crisis seemed t' have passed, or the strain to have beer lessened for the time. Consequent! the price reflectd the condition an' advanced. with union sanction, to z cents a pint. It will be held there a a threat to the pirates of what the! may expect if they dare again emplo.