You ought to be out raising hell. This is the fighting age. Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Monday November 16, 1903
Denver, Colorado - Northern Coal Operators Offer Separate Settlement to U. M. W. of A.
A generous offer has been made to the miners in Colorado's northern coalfield by the Northern Coal and Coke Company. The offer includes a 15% wage increase and an eight-hour day. Reports are that John Mitchell, President of the United Mine Workers, is inclined to accept the offer. Mitchell claims that a separate agreement will allow the union to better support the strike in the southern coalfields. But other leaders of the U. M. W. assert that a separate agreement would be a betrayal of the southern miners, most notably, Mother Jones and District 15 President William Howells.
SOURCE
Mother Jones
The Most Dangerous Woman in America
-by Elliott J Gorn
NY, 2001
Mother Jones Speaks
-ed by Philip S Foner
NY, 1983
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Sunday November 16, 1913
From the Miners' Bulletin: "Secretary Wilson Scores Lake Copper Companies
William B Wilson
Secretary of Labor, William B. Wilson, former Secretary of the United Mine Workers of America, spoke at the Seattle A. F. of L. Convention this past week. In its latest edition, the
Bulletin covered Secretary Wilson's speech:
"There can be no mediation, there can be no conciliation between employer and employe that does not pre-suppose collective bargaining, and there cannot be collective bargaining that does not pre-suppose trade unions."
Speaking of the determination to investigate the earnings of the copper companies, [Wilson] said:
"And the little bit of confidence that I am today going to give you is an advance statement of one of the items in that situation: that the largest corporation engaged in production of copper in the Michigan district was organized in 1870 under the laws of the state of Michigan; that the face value of its capital stock is $2,500,000. The shares are $25 each. They were purchased at $12 each, so that the actual investment is $1,250,000. From that time until one year ago, the last fiscal report that we had, a period of 42 years, that corporation declared in dividends $121,000,000 on an investment of $1,250,000; and made re-investments out of its earnings of $75,000,000. Nearly $200,000,000 of actual net profit in a period of 42 years on an investment of $1,250,000, and then they not only protest against meeting committees of their workmen, but refuse to accept the good offices of the department of labor in negotiation for a settlement of the difficulties."
The statement of Mr. Wilson regarding the value of stock, and of the dividends paid by this company was somewhat a surprise to those who heard his remarks, and it was the consensus opinion of all present that such a rich company could well afford to pay a living wage and maintain decent living conditions in their numerous camps on the upper peninsula of Michigan...
Thursday morning the Houghton Daily Mining Gazette published a portion of Mr. Wilson's speech together with an interview held with superintendent McNaughton of the Calumet & Hecla Mining company in regard to Mr. Wilson's statements. The doughty superintendent makes a very feeble answer to Mr. Wilson, his strongest point being in calling Mr. Wilson a liar...
SOURCE
Miners' Bulletin
(Official newspaper of the WFM
in the strike zone of MI's Copper Country)
-of Nov 15, 1913
History of the Labor Movement in the United States Vol. 5
Th AFL in the Progressive Era 1910-1915
-by Philip S Foner
International Pub, 1980
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Saturday November 16, 2013
More on James McNaughton, general manger of Calumet & Hecla Mining Company:
James McNaughton, General Manager
Calumet and Hecla Mining
The outcome of the strike vote in Michigan's Copper Country was: 9000 miners in favor of striking out of a workforce of 13,000. The strike began July 23, 1913:
The reaction of the owners was swift. Their leader was James McNaughton, the $85,000-a-year general manger of C & H who lived in Calumet and directed the company's operations. He said, "The grass will grow on your streets before I'll ever give in." He added that he would teach the miners to eat potato parings.
SOURCE
Big Annie of Calumet
-by Jerry Stanley
NY, 1996
Photo: Tumult & Tragedy, Michigan's 1913-14 Copper Strike
http://www.1913strike.mtu.edu/...
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I Hate the Capitalist System-esp family
I hate the company bosses,
I'll tell you the reason why:
They cause me so much suffering
And my dearest friends to die.
-Sarah Ogan Gunning