There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
Wednesday July 26, 1916
From The Labor World: “Facts Regarding Strike,” Part II
From the Duluth Labor World of July 22nd:
FACTS REGARDING STRIKE BECLOUDED
—–Duluth Attorney Scores Mining Company Police,
Courts and Daily Press.
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LEADERS ARRESTED WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE
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Fate of Republic Hangs Upon Settlement
of Trouble on Range, He Says.
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The real facts concerning the strike of the miners on the Mesaba range have been beclouded by misrepresentation and much prejudice aroused against the miners according to Attorney John A. Keyes of Duluth, who is acting as counsel for some of the leaders who have been placed under arrest. Mr. Keyes denounces the mining corporation police, the “gunmen” as termed by the miners, and the courts and daily press in part. Stories from the range have been highly colored Mr. Keyes declares, and so for the sake of justice, he has made the following statement regarding the cause and development of the strike and conditions up to the present time [Part II of statement by Attorney Keyes]:
Shooting at Biwabik.The next thing of any considerable 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 whatever, except that they are supposed to be prominent in the strike movement.
These men are placed first in one jail and then another, and in many instances they have no hearing before the court for days, and when brought before the courts excessive bail is required and they are thus prevented from taking an appeal when convicted before prejudiced courts, because of inability to furnish the excessive bonds that are required. This wholesale arrest has been so notorious that I have been unable to reach many of the men who are thus seized, and even with able assistance, it has not been possible 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 part of myself, and I may say on the part of the striking miners, regardless of any organization, to bring this strike to a close, that is to take such steps as would enable us tor have a conference with the mine owners, or their representatives.
Municipalities Fair.In that effort we have been materially aided by some of the officers of the municipalities.
Two men were elected from each mine by the men and the meeting was arranged between the committee of the municipalities and the committee of miners thus composed and was held at the city of Virginia on Friday, July 7. At that meeting the matter was discussed the miners set forth their demands, not as an ultimatum, but as embracing what they desired. Resolutions were passed requesting the municipal committee to take steps to enter into a conference with the mine owners. The meeting was held under the official auspices of the municipal committee and a 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 committee and see if the strike could not be settled.
The mine owners absolutely refused to take any part in any negotiations or to even meet with the committee of the municipalities and have ignored all approaches. Outside of this I have endeavored at different times to interest disinterested men in an attempt to reach a settlement, but every time have been told that the mine owners absolutely refused to have anything to do with an adjustment. There is no anarchy so dangerous as the anarchy of capitalism and government servants of capitalism. The newspapers, and especially 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.Tales of violence and of unlawful proceedings taken on the part of the miners, have been colored and put in such a way as to not represent what actually took place. The opinion of the people has been formed upon these misrepresentations and now it is to be undertaken on the part of the miners themselves to give the public 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 committee and the strikers committee met, as heretofore referred to, are going to be published, and, the community then can determine for itself whether the miners have in good faith attempted to come to a settlement of this strike in a fair way or not.
I am making this statement not because I belong to any labor organization, or because I am employed to defend the men, but because of the glaring misrepresentations that have been made before the public. A forcible crushing of such a body of men never settles anything, but only feeds the fire of revolt that will ultimately destroy the republic and bring chaos and despotism into all social organization.
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SOURCE
The Labor World
(Duluth, Minnesota)
-July 22, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn78000395/1916-07-22/ed-1/seq-1/
IMAGE
John Arnold Keyes, Labor World, Sep 12, 1896
https://www.newspapers.com/image/49578231/
Homestead Strike Song – Pete Seeger