Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-04-17
Trusts.

per of that organization, will be of in
terest:
Trusts.
There is disposition to accumulate
and place at the door of the trust ma
ny OF the abuses which are also associ-
ated with competitive business. For
after all, may not the same accusa-
lions of deceit and averice be made
against the very business men who are
crying frantically for help because
shey now find themselves ruthlessly
thrust aside by a competitor who has
been, enterprising and far-seeing
enough to utilize economic forces?
Have they not exploited the sweatshop
and sold shoddy and adultered goods,
and can they afford to throw stones?
Have not many travelling statesmen,
once masters of the trade, resorted to
every known subterfuge in order to
sell their goods? Have the individual
employers needed the groans of labor,
or have they given their employees the
consideration they We're entitled to as
men, unless they were able to enforce
1T! Ii all the atrocities which the
competitive system has been guilty OF
were weighed in the balance, it would
be condemned as form of barbarism,
but nevertheless it has served a great
purpose. 1t has been the link between
the domestic workshop and a higher
system of manufacture. The very Sc
verify OF the competition which it de
veloped has led to it's overthrow in
some industries,and the trust is. there
fore really the very result of unrestric-
ted competition. Conditions were
ripe for them. The industrial warfare
wiped out profits, increased operating
expenses, and made combination the
only recourse. The trust is but Il fea-
ture OF the universal tendency toward
| concentration which is also manifest
ed in the larger method of administer
ing business in the increasing size OF
factories and stores, and the consolida-
ton of interests.
The growth from the individual firm
to: the corporation is the first stage
and the combining of competing cor.
porations under one management the
latest. Samuel Gompers has well sale
| that workingmen need not fear the
trust if they will but organize prop
erly. Thru organization they can
compel recognition and command some
of the benefits of an improved form of
production, as some Unions have al
ready succeeded in doing.
State Federation OF Labor.
The annual convention of the State
Federation of Labor will be held at
Des Moines, Tuesday, May s, and pro
misses to be the most largely attended
of any ever held in the state.
There is. no doubt but what a new
policy will be adopted which will har,
monte all laboring interests of Iowa
| 1t is believed that the Office of the sec;
rotary which has hereto
fore been fee Office, will be made q
salaried position. Another feature Of
the cnvention will be the decided stand
which will be taken against the pol.
| icy of delegates who attend the con
| vention expressly for the purpose OF
gesting some pet political scheme thru
They will receive a cold reception and
will be made to understand that the
state Federation of Labor cannot be
used as a channel to boost politicians
| Or ward heelers. The entire strength
of:the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea, district 10, will be represented
There are over 10000 in this organiza
ton alone.
The cigar makers, state blue labe
league will meet in Des- Moines the
day preceding the convention, as viii
also the state allied printing consul.
Des Moines Trades Unionists are
preparing to entertain all delegates
who will represent over 100000 unior
men. The policies as set forth in thi
convention will be strictly adhered to
| At the regular meeting of the OF
tumwa Trades and Labor assembly
last evening, ]. +. Byrne, was elected
to represent the local organization a
the above convention. The convention
will be attended by representative
from twenty-siS other local organiza
tions who will select their delegates a
their next regular meetings.
The Plumbers, Union.
Every plumber in the city of Ottum
wa, is a member of the local union
They have built up large treasury
and have established scale of wage
which will become operative May l.
In France.
i France, on December 81, 1898, ha,
|i2,361 legally constituted and loca
unions of wage-workers, with an ae
gregare membership of 419,761. q
these unions 1882 were grouped i
seventy-six district and national union
comprising 312,1S5 members. Their
were also, at the date named, fifty-fiv
central labor unions with 1,136 affiliat
ed local unions and 1924 member!
In Great Britain.
The ten biggest individual unions i