The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-08-01
STRIKING MINERS
AWED BY THUGS
Interesting report on Minnesota Iron
Range Trouble, is Given

\ "
WASHINGTON. Aug. lit is a
story of public authority prostituted
to private interests that is hardly
equalled by Colorado" declared rep
resentative of the committee on in
dustrial relations today, describing
the strike of Mesaba range iron
workers. Duluth. st. Louis county
and Minnesota state officials were
raked severely by George p. West.
who wrote the report of the Colorado
strike for the United States commits
sion on Industrial relations
THE city Of Duluth. the county Of
st. Louis, and the state OF Mime
sofa, as represented by Governor
Burnquist and other public officials
have joined hands in a reintless ef-
fort to crush out the strike Of $4,000
miners" declared the report. 'More
than 1000 men have been Geputized,
according to the sheriff's own state
ment. and armed with carbines, re-
yolvers and riot sticks. The slums
Of Duluth have been combed to re-
cruit this army Of gun-men. Sheriff
Meining, like jeff Farr of Colorado,
admitted that he had deputized the
company guards without investigation
as to their character or record. In
fact, he admitted, some of them
might possibly be what the writer
told him they looked like-thugs.
Business Duluth is doing its bit
Leading wholesalers have served
notice on merchants that during the
strike all credit will be curtailed
And while the miners Of Minnesota
and their families face want and suf-
fering and endure the violence of
| y,y.s1 WI To Of
States Steel corporation announces
the largest earnings in the history Of
an American Industrial corporation.
zone. bright chapter can be writ
ten. Mayors and the majority of
councilmen of Hibbing. Virginia and
Chisholm stand squareIy for the
rights of the miners. They announce
that If the U. S. labor department
mediators are met with persistent
refusal of the steel company to adj
nit possible grievances of the min
ers, they will put the strikers to
work on needed public improvements.
"The miners demand a minimum
of So for an eight hour day, abolition
of the contract labor system, and
twice month pay"
Mayor Victor Power OF Hibbing
vouches for the following:
Two of the toughest characters he
ever saw appeared at his Office and
asked for 'fop'-meaning place to
sleep. He asked them what they
were come for, and they replied they
had arrived from Duluth to act as
deputies. He demanded their creden-
tials, and they showed letter from
Chief of Police McKeecher to the
superintendent of the mining COM
pany which said: I am sending you
the two men for the work we talked
about. Let me know If they do not
do it satisfactorily as l have some
thing on them"
The report declared also that a
Nick Dillon, once said to have been
q "bouncer" for a house of ill-fame,
invaded workman's home, and
when resistance developed a fight
ensued in which two men, one
deputy sheriff, was killed. The miner
and four friends were charged with
first degree murder. and seven L w.
w. organizers, stationed at distant
points on the range. were arrested
with warrants, refused hearing,
placed on special train and taken
to Duluth, seventy miles distant and
also charged with first degree MUIR
der. in that it was alleged their
speeches had induced the crime.