———-
Hellraisers Journal – Monday June 19, 1899
San Francisco, California – Trade Unionists Protest Horrors of Idaho Bullpen
From The San Francisco Call of June 15, 1899:
—–MILITARY RULE IN IDAHO IS DENOUNCED
—–BIG MASS-MEETING AT METROPOLITAN HALL.
—–
Labor and Building Trades Councils
Adopt Strong Resolutions-
Prominent Speakers Voice Their Sentiments.
—–Metropolitan Temple was crowded last night in response to a call for a mass-meeting held under the auspices of the Labor Council, Building Trades Council and Affiliated Unions. The object of the meeting was to voice a strong protest against the establishment of military rule at Wardner, Idaho, the scene of the recent miners’ troubles.
Chairman P. H. McCarthy stated that it was not a partisan or political protest, but one in the name of humanity against the methods employed by the Idaho authorities and General Merriam.
Judge Highton, James G. Maguire and A. R. Andre addressed the audience in a similar vein, and the following resolutions were adopted by unanimous vote:
Whereas. The horrors of the Wardner “bull pen” and the unconstitutional acts of Governor Steunenberg and Brigadier General Merriam in their treatment of the parties suspected of complicity in the destruction of the Bunker Hill and Sullivan Hill mines at Wardner, Idaho, continue in spite of protests from fill parts of the country; and
Whereas. It is evident from the most reliable sources that Governor Steunenberg is a pliant tool of the mine owners, combined to establish industrial feudalism in Idaho; therefore be it
Resolved, By the citizens’ mass-meeting called by the Labor Council and Building Trades Council of San Francisco that we protest against the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in time of peace; that we denounce the suppression of free speech and free press and the denial of “the right of combination”; that we condemn the wanton brutalities of the “bull pen” and that we call upon all trades unionists and citizens in general to make similar protest; and further
Resolved, That we call upon President McKinley, as commander-in-chief of the army, to order the cessation of the usurpation of power by the military; and further
Resolved, That we request the California Representatives to ask, on the assembling of Congress, for a Congressional Investigation of the Wardner brutalities; and further
Resolved. That the secretary of this meeting wire these resolutions to President McKinley.
San Francisco, Cal., June 14, 1899.
A telegram from Patrick Reddy, who is now in Idaho, was read, in which he reiterated the statements which were recently published in The Call regarding the situation at Wardner.
[He concludes:]
The lives and liberties of the miners and laborers are now in the hands of one man— the executive of Idaho, who has allied himself with their adversaries and who has called in United States troops to carry out the schemes of the mine owners to increase their own enormous profits by pauperizing, oppressing and starving the miners into abject and absolute submission.
Mayor Phelan and Charles L. Fatten sent letters of regret at being unable to be present, while sympathizing with the purpose for which the mass-meeting was called.
—–
———-
[Emphasis added. Photographs from page 1, article from page 5.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCES & IMAGES
Quote Ed Boyce re Manly Blood per Gaboury 1967
“From Statehouse to Bull Pen
Idaho Populism and The Coeur d’Alene Troubles of the 1890’s”
-by William J. Gaboury
(Source: William J. Gaboury, “From Statehouse to Bull Pen: Idaho Populism and the Coeur d’Alene Troubles of the l890’s,” Pacific Northwest Quarterly, LVIII (January. 1967), 1422.)
https://digitalatlas.cose.isu.edu/geog/mining/minewars.htm
The San Francisco Call
(San Francisco, California)
-June 15, 1899
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1899-06-15/ed-1/seq-1/
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1899-06-15/ed-1/seq-5/
See also:
Tag: Wardner ID Bullpen of 1899
https://weneverforget.org/tag/wardner-id-bullpen-of-1899/
Tag: Coeur d’ Alene Miner’s Struggle of 1899
https://weneverforget.org/tag/coeur-d-alene-miners-struggle-of-1899/
June 5, 1900
Coeur d’Alene Labor Troubles
Report by Mr Dick fr/ House Com on Military Affairs
http://moses.law.umn.edu/darrow/documents/Coeur_D_Alene_Labor_Trouble_HRept_1999.pdf
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Power in the Union – Street Dogs
Lyrics by Billy Bragg