We have no fight with capital.
All we want is the full equivalent for
the things which we produce.
Capital can take the rest.
-Big Bill Haywood
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday April 26, 1908
Denver, Colorado – Haywood Ousted by W. F. of M.
From The Butte Miner of April 25, 1908:
(Special Dispatch to the Miner.)
Denver, Colo., April 24.-William D. Haywood, for many years the secretary-treasurer of the Western Federation of Miners, has been ousted from the executive board of the organization by the members of that body. Announcement of this action appeared officially in the following statement that was published today in the Miners’ Magazine, the official organ of the federation, saying:
To Whom It May Concern: This is to inform you that the executive board of the Western Federation of Miners has decided to terminate the services of William D. Haywood as a representative of the Western Federation of Miners in the field, the same to take effect on the eight day of April, 1908.
(Signed) C. E. MAHONEY,
Vice-President Western Federation of Miners.No Longer Organizer.
This means that Haywood is no longer in the employ of the federation, even as organizer, which position he has held for several months past, or since December, when Ernest Mills was named to supersede him as secretary-treasurer. The only connection that Haywood now has is as a member of the Silver City, Idaho, lodge, which is affiliated with the parent body.
Shortly after Haywood’s acquittal in Boise, Idaho, on the charge of complicity in the murder of former Gov. Steunenburg [Steunenberg], he was shorn of his power as one of the executive heads of the federation.
Course Not Approved.
For some time he has been east, lecturing on socialism and soliciting memberships for the federation. He was paid for his work as solicitor, but was not supposed to spread the socialist propaganda. It is apparent that Haywood’s activity in the capacity has not met with the approval of the executive board of the organization.
It is understood that in December Haywood was asked by the board for his resignation as secretary-treasurer of the federation. Haywood is said to have demurred. The board then appointed Ernest Mills to the office temporarily and put Haywood out as organizer and solicitor.
———-
The Coal Operators’ Fuel Magazine of April 14, 1908, gloats:
HAYWOOD COMPLETELY DOWN AND OUT.
—–
The official announcement that William D. Haywood had been dropped from the pay-roll of the Western Federation of Miners and that he no longer represented that organization in any capacity brought out the statement that his lecture tour throughout the East proved a flat failure and neither made friends for the Western Federation of Miners nor converts to the Socialist party. While Haywood was removed as secretary of the Western Federation last December, the executive board gave him permission to use the name of the organization in soliciting funds on his lecture tour. He was delegated to represent the organization at the convention of the United Mine Workers at Indianapolis six weeks ago and was again commissioned to visit the convention of the Illinois miners at Springfield two weeks ago.
While acting in that capacity he was paid by the organization, but has not been regularly on the payroll since last December.
The announcement of Haywood’s retirement is contained in this week’s issue of the Miners’ Magazine. It is printed in big black type and reads:
To Whom It May Concern:—This is to inform you that the executive board of the Western Federation of Miners has decided to terminate the services of William D. Haywood as a representative of the Western Federation of Miners in the field, the same to take effect on the 8th day of April, 1908.
C. E. Mahoney,
Vice-President W. F. M.The removal of Haywood is the culmination of friction that has existed on the executive board for many months and was caused largely, it is said, by some parts of the confession of Harry Orchard. That confession was declared to be as much of a revelation to some of the executive board members as it was to the public, and some parts of it have never been explained.
On the acquittal of Haywood he returned to the headquarters in Denver, but would not settle down to the work of the office. He wanted to go on the lecture platform. Attorney Clarence S. Darrow, who defended him in the trial, tried to dissuade him from his purpose and advised him to keep quiet and out of the public eyes as much as possible. Haywood took the advice as an insult and abused Mr. Darrow. Since then they have not spoken to each other.
The organization has during the last five years had representatives in the field in the East soliciting funds most of the time. According to the claims of the officers, the Western Federation of Miners has a membership of about 40,000. That is almost equal to the membership of the International Typographical Union, which expended more than $3,000,000 in its fight for the eight-hour day and raised the amount almost wholly within its own membership.
At the time that unions in the East, which are affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, were contributing money to assist the Western Federation of Miners, its official organ was denouncing Samuel Gompers. John Mitchell and other officers as “labor fakirs” and “grafters.”
The present officials of the Western Federation of Miners are anxious to overcome the effects of the policies inaugurated by Haywood and it is said that his removal is one step in that direction. The feeling between the unions in the East and the miners’ organization is more friendly now than it has been for years and with Haywood out of office it is said that an affiliation with the American Federation of Labor is probable within a short time.
Haywood will be allowed to retain his membership in the local union at Silver Creek, Idaho, but it is said he will never hold another official position in the national organization. He was first elected a member of the national executive board in 1898, and was elected secretary-treasurer in 1899. He held the position until his arrest in connection with the Steunenberg murder in January [February], 1906.
———-
[Photograph added.]
SOURCES
The Butte Miner
(Butte, Montana)
-Apr 25, 1908
https://www.newspapers.com/image/348353445/
Fuel Magazine:
The Coal Operators National Weekly, Volume 10
Fuel Publishing Company, 1908
https://books.google.com/books?id=478cAQAAMAAJ
FM April 14, 1908
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=478cAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA767
Haywood Down & Out, dropped by WFM
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=478cAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA836
IMAGE
BBH, SF Call p17, Dec 8, 1907
https://www.newspapers.com/image/87855980/
See also:
Bill Haywood’s Book
The Autobiography of William D. Haywood
-by Big Bill Haywood
International Publishers, 1929
https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000859708
p218-Darrow advises Haywood after acquittal-
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015050276461;view=2up;seq=222;size=125
p229-Re notice of termination in Miners’ Mag-
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015050276461;view=2up;seq=232;size=125
Proceedings of WFM Convention
-at Denver, Colorado, July 13-July 29, 1908
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=0aM0AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA1
p160-Salary paid for Sec-Tre shows that Ernest Mills
replaced Haywood in December of 1907.
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=0aM0AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA160
Haywood Speaks to 1908 UMW Convention:
Jan 21-Feb 2, 1908
Proceedings UMWC, Indianapolis
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=pVxZAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA441
6th Day-AM, Jan 27, 1908
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=pVxZAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA1-PA270
Haywood Speaks
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=pVxZAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA1-PA273
Tag: Big Bill Haywood
https://weneverforget.org/tag/big-bill-haywood/