There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
Tuesday July 25, 1916
From The Labor World: “Facts Regarding Strike,” Part I
FACTS REGARDING STRIKE BECLOUDED
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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 I of statement by Attorney Keyes]:
Facts Are Beclouded.So many false representations and mis-statements have, been made in the public press and otherwise with relation to this strike of miners on the Mesaba range, in St. Louis county, which is now in progress, that I have finally determined to give a statement of the facts as they exist and which have come within my personal knowledge and observation with reference to this strike.
The miners first went out at the St. James mine near Aurora, Minn., on account, as they claim, of unfair conditions in the mines, on the first few days in June, 1916. When they first struck they went to the saloon keepers and the mayor of Aurora and I asked that the saloons be closed. The saloons were closed. They then appointed a committee and in connection with the mayor approached the mine owners for the purpose of getting, an adjustment of their grievances.
The mine owners refused to consider their application or to meet their committee. The men were not organized; and desiring something of the kind, wrote to Minneapolis to secure organizers to come and form an organization among them. Finally some men came to the range, including Mr. Boose, who was for years a, teamster in the city of Duluth, and a man of rood reputation and character and of the most peaceable disposition. They came to the range and started to speak to the miners with reference to forming a union.
Before they could cover the range the miners in mine after mine struck, and many, thousands of men had walked out. There was then, of course, an attempt, more or less, to enroll the miners under the constitution of the I. W. W., as they had requested. It was not, however, until efforts had been made in several directions to have the grievances of the miners considered by the mine owners.
Strikers Arrested.The next thing that followed was the arrest of a large number of strikers, who were on a peaceful parade from Aurora to Biwabik to attend a meeting there, and their trial proceeded in the court at Virginia.
The next thing of moment that took place was the killing of a miner at Virginia and the shooting and seriously wounding of another miner whose name has not yet come before the public. Both of these crimes were undoubtedly committed by mine guards, called by the workmen “gunmen,” and not by the regular deputies, nor by miners of the county. These men are sworn in as deputy sheriffs. They carry revolvers and police clubs and are under the jurisdiction of their mine captain, and not under the command of the sheriff direct.
This condition of things has existed in the state of Minnesota for some years, and is one of the most dangerous and anarchistic conditions that can exist in any country where free people make any pretense toward exercising their rights. This state of affairs has caused more trouble on the Mesaba range, in the last fifteen years than all other things put together.
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…
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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/
IMAGES
John Arnold Keyes, Labor World, Sep 12, 1896
https://www.newspapers.com/image/49578231/
Workers Song – Dropkick Murphys