The Union Troubles At Butte
As Usual Press Reports Were Misleading And Untrue.
Sometime ago the daily papers j
in Fairbanks printed several des
patches from Butte, Montana,
giving some account of the trou
ble in the miners’ union at that
place, According to those despat
ches a large majority of the mem
bers of the union had seceded
from the Western Fe leration of
Minnrs and gone over to the In
dustrial Workers of the World,
and conveying the impression
that the trouble had been foment
ed by the latter organisation. Qf
course, those at all acquainted
with union affairs at Butte, and
having a knowlege of the gene
ral unreliability of press despat
ches, especially in labor matters
further than giving the nows
that something of a particular
nature had happened, knew at
once that those press despatches,
beyond stating the mere fact
that there was trouble in the un
ion, were not true. They know
that the I. \V. W. was not at the
bottom of the trouble and wore
confident that the seceders did
not go over to that organization.
Confirmation of this comes in a
circular letter issued by the sece
ding faction under d'»teJof June
30, a part of which, giving some
insight into the cause of the trou
ble follows:
“inasmuch as the company
henchman are sending out sensa
tional reports regarding the cau
ses which led up to the revolt a
gainst Butte Union No. 1, W. F.
of M., it is necessary that the
truth of the matter be given e
qual publicity. Their statements
that the I, W. W. is responsible
for the events of the last three
weeks are barefaced falsehoods,
as is also their attempts to brand
1 the leaders of the movement as
organizers of the I. W. W.
There is a decided attempt on
1 the part of tne great Copper inte
rests of this district, as well as
elsewhere, to destroy unionism,
in all its forms.
With the help of Unite Local
v , p \y. p. III., whose control
| was, and now is, in the hands
of Company henciuin-n. The Am
algamated Copper Company has
been able to discourage and block
| any attempt of the minors ol
| this camp, to protect themselves
j again t discrimination and organ
| izeu greed,
; This corresponds to the %cll
j
1 known facts in the case. Tne
| Butte Miners’ Union has for
I years been boss ridden. A sot ot
I
officials has managed by stulhng
ballot boxes, and by browbeating
and bulldozing methods, with
ti e connivance of the big copper
companies, to maintain them
selves in power, to the mutual
advantage of officials and compa
nies, and to the disadvantage of
the rank and file. Twelve years
ago there was much dissatisfac
tion among the miners in Butte
because of the petty grafting
and tyrannies of the officers of the
Union. The same hunch was still
in control at the time of the trou
ble, and matters had probably
Constitution and
Platform Adopted.
The Territorial constitution
drafted by a joint conference of
the locals of this vicinity on
March 29 has been adopted by
referendum vote of the member
ship, according to the returns as
canvassed by the provisional Ter
ritorial secretary, and represent
atives of the locals.
The minority substitute for sec
tion 2 article 2 in reference to
members accepting appointment
to political pos’tions under the
old parties was carried. Two oth
er minority proposals were lost,
A Territorial secretary was elect
ed seme time ago, and it only
now remains for the national of
ficelto pass upon, the constitution
and grant a charter for the party
to possess a full fledged organize
tion.
{ A platform for the coming cam
paign, drafted at the same time
as the Constitution was also adop
ted. This appears in another col
urun and it behooves every work
ing man to read it. In contradis
tinction to old party platforms,
it is clear-cut and to the point.
There is / o attempt to carry wa
ter on both shoulders in order to
appeal to all classes and condi
tions of men, no evasion or strad
dling, but a statement of work
ing class principles and a work
ing class program that cannot be
misunderstood. Its perusal should
convince any working man or wo
man, that, .having regard fo"
their own interests, the Socialist
party is the only ono they can
support.
Leaves
Nor dale Hotel
Twice Daily
•& 93? W C-r> -t> 45 V «*>
FINE JEWELRY
If You want Up-to-date Jewelry Buy From Us.
Prices are right and will suit you.
Watch repairing and other work guaranteed.
Jeweler, MENDKAM S phone 2k A.
The Big Busy Front Street Store,
I
I
reached the point where open re
volt against their rule was the
only way out for the miners. But
they^had no in ten! ion of affilia
ting with the I. W. W. Instead,
they organized what they call the
“Butte Mine Workers’ Union”
and their purpose is no doubt to
get rid of the local officers and to
force concessions from the min-'
ing companies which they were
not able to do with the old gang'
in control. The W. F. of M. is:
one of the most progressive and
militant cf labor organizations, I
and it is organized to some extent i
along industrial lines, but the!
general officers of the o» gar.iza-!
tion themselves are showing of!
late years, a strong reactionary ;
tendency, and it is possible that:
lie Butte .miners, among whom
there is no doubt a strong L W. ;
W. sentiment, may have in mind i
a determination to bring about a;
j change in the poliev of the gene
ral organization so that if may
continue along lines of advanced
! ideas rather than along those of
! retrogression.
WprwriAlH
, *n’ .,.:.;iiv v;..f
.Vv- / i/V’-'*
| Popular Mechanics
} Magazine
\ "WfW'TTM AO YOU CAM UK31 WTAJfO IT**
•\ GKEAT Continued Story of the
»“ u. V/o-lu#5 ‘’regresso which you
nayV.ey’n racing at any time, and *
which will hold your interest forever. J
253 PftCFS U.Z:\ RTCI.Tf! $00 Pi8Ttf3£S
2?3 *.RT2ftS3 KK GShCrtM. JBTZBESr
The * f if.* Mot-js" n.’rsrtr*.?• fc (k) parses)
.:.»•«•*» < ' • •>* •.>' / to r).> t.a'ic — aow to make
’i'-d-.I u.:tii k:.' lor h^:.ie ?.4.vi siicp. repairs, ecc.
“ ,'-r- -• •*«■»»• .’' -f-u?.- »cV* ( r a k - ivrvt
- iV ' • .i la- . r-.n ; c;.oi:\'.:v noat
t ij'.r. ' . a. \ *.;i tnj a ‘.a1; Uae*.
:
:••• YL-a. c:>;c’„c cents is csrra
Ar!; y.v;r or
• . ■.?■•.. ! —k -5j'--a*r rocAy
X'Ol'UUA: : :U2C:IANIC3 CO.
?JP W. WrnWi'^fn '
Are You One Of Hie
Socialists wiio Says
"Yes I am a socialist—been one lor many years—always vo'e
the ticket—but Ido not belong to the organization.” If you are
in that class, you should get, out. of it, The only Socialists that
count are the one* tnai j»ny their
little 25 Cfill dues per month, and
aid in the work of the party otgam
zatiin. There are the fellows that
aie malting the Socialist Party the
jreat force for the common good in
America. Th eca| italist class won’t
finance our party a id no don’t
want, tiiem to. its ilia twenty-five
c«dIh per muiitn irom itb thousands
of real Socialists that keep ti.e
wheels of the organ'zation polii£.
Come ou in a lot fimi out how we
run Ihirij b. You will have iuet u»
much to nay as another. We have
made it Cisy tor yju to taka t&>
first step—b. low is a coupon which
you.g could
Cut Out, Tear Off And Mail Today*
To N. II. Kiiijs F.iiilf.tiik-, E. I’ozzi, Garden Island or L. Wostenvik,
Cleiirv Ci; y.
1 am oorsviieed that I should bn arnero'ber of the organisation you re
}ir« sent. I'tt-ase send «>tne one to lake nty aj>| Jicatmn.
A am"
Address
«
i will ’ne at homa
w% a r •?%
tfu A A k ft AJ* % to
<A
k
WlVS 3
Bismark, ‘The^Greatest Of The Germans”
B ISM ARK, like all Germans, prized Personal Liberty
as the breath of life a Natural Right to be guarded and
defended at any cast_Germans know there is no evii
in the light wines and beers of their fathers.
Evil Only To Him Who Misuses Them.
Bar the! Brewing Company.
Fairbanks,
A'aska.
When You Get Prices,
White's Store At Olnes
'Will Ouitfit Yota.
His Priees Are Right,