The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-07-22
=, :.
FACTS REGARDING ~. :. :.
i, 80. STRIKE gLoUDED
CONTINUED from page ~

| dangerous ana anarchlSttC conditions
that can exist in any country where
free people make any xpretense to-
ward exercising their rights. This
state Of affairs has caused: more trou-
BILE on the Mesaba range, in the last
fifteen years than all other things
put together. s.. 49, ~
"The next thing of any particular;
Importance that occurred was the
small clash at Hibbing where "a man
was injured, which was directly
caused by the mine guards coming
| into the city and assuming to patrol
the streets and interfere with the
movement of men therein.
| Shooting at Biwabik.
1.-THE next thing of any consider.
able account that occurred on the
| range was the tragedy at Biwabik
| where two men were killed and
which has been the excuse for the
arrest and. imprisonment, without
bail, Of many men who are perfectly
innocent of any offense whatever,
! and the failure to arrest the. guilty..
Hundreds of men are constantly
being seized without warrants all
| along the range for no cause what
ever, except that they are supposed
to be prominent in the strike move
ment. These men are placed first in
one Jail and then another, and in:
many instances they have no hear
ing before the court. for days, and.
when brought before the: courts rex-:
cessive bail is required and they are
| thus prevented from taking,an appeal
when convicted before. prejudiced
courts, because of inability to. fur,
| n1sh the excessive bonds that are re-
CURED. This wholesale arrest has
been so notorious that j have been
unable to reach many of the men
who are thus seized, and even with
able assistance, it has not been pos
sible to have the cases tried Or heard
within reasonable time. These men
naturally feel that the administration
of justice is being perverted and that
they>~are> being subjected to unjust
treatment both by the administrative
and judicial powers of the state.
Knowing that the strike was to be
prolonged and that it would involve
a great loss Of property and the great
suffering and disadvantage: to the
men, and great harm to the citizens;
! every effort has been, made: on the:
pafl' of myself, and may say on the
part "ofi the striking miners, regard
less or any organization, to bring this
strike to a close, that is to take such.
steps as would enable us to have a
conference with the mine owners, or
their representatives. +
u '=.@: municipalities Fair. -
! C't1n~ that effort we have been ma.
tariaIly aided by some OF the officers
of the municipalities. '">
1.-Two men were elected from each
mine by the: men and the meeting
was arranged between the committee:
OF the municipalities and the COM
mittee of: miners thus composed and
was held at the city of Virginia on:
Friday, July Z. At that meeting the.
natter was discussed. the miners set:
forth their demands, not, AS an ulti-
| matunl, but as embracing what they,
desired. Resolutions were, passed. re-
Questing the municipal committee ITO.
| take steps to enter into a. conference
with the mine owners. The meeting
| was held -:nder the. official auspices
| Of the municipal committee and. u
[stenographic report thereof, taken,
| and this committee did attempt to
reach : the: mine owners and notified
them all of the action that was taken
and asked that. the mine owners have
| some, representatives meet the COM
mittee, and see if the strike could not
be, settled. p The mine owners abso-
lutely refused to take any. part in any
negotiations or to even meet with the
committee Of the municipalities and
] have ignored all approaches. Out
side. of this I. have endeavored at Diff
ferent times. to interest disinterested
men In an. attempt to reach a. SETTLE
ment, but every time have been. told
that the mine owners absolutely re-,
fused to have anything to do with an
adjustment. There is no anarchy. SO
dangerous as the. anarchy Of capital
ism and government servants of capt.
talism. The newspapers, and espe-.
cially those on the ranges and one Of
the newspapers of the city Of Duluth,
have misrepresented and distorted
the facts with reference to conditions
on the range.
Tales of Violence Colored. 49, =,
"'Tales Of violence and of unlawful<
proceedings taken on the part Of the
miners. have been colored and put, TN
scuch a way as to not represent what
actually took place: The opinion OF
the people has been formed upon:
these misrepresentation and now it.
is to. be undertaken on the part of the
miners themselves to give the pub.
lie fair information with reference to,
the situation and I am prefacing that
attempt in this paper over my own.
signature. The proceedings Of the
meeting, at which the municipal. COM
mittee and the strikers ?; committee
met, as. heretofore referred to, are
going to: be published, and, the com;
| munity then can determine for itself
whether the miners have in good
faith attempted. TO-: come to- a settle
ment Of this strike'f in q fair way or
not. Tam making this statement not
because I Belong to any labor organi-
zation, or because am employed to
defend the men, but because of the
glazing MISREPRESENTATION that have
been made before the public. A. forc-: