Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-07-04

enforcing the agreement this year
than they had last year. This condi.
ton is very gratifying to the officers,
and should be to all others, including
the public, for all disturbances be.
tween capital and labor are very I'M
profitable to all concerned, including
the public, and it is only through the
joint conference method of settling
disputes and making agreements that
strikes and lock-outs can be avoided.
The above must not be taken as evil
dence that the agreement is satisfac-
tory to miners and operators alike, or
even either party, for the miners be-
lieve it should be better, and the op-
orators feel that they already pay too
much according to the price they get
for their coal, but both Parties are get
ting better acquainted with each 9TH
er and as a result, they have greater
respect for cash others rights, hence
we have peace and the public is get
ting coal at reasonable prices and
hears nothing about "the great coal
miners strikes thousands of men,
women and children starving" ma
tional guards ordered out to suppress
rioting," sweeping injunctions issued
against agitators,' coal famine threat
ened." The miners and mine labors
are organized to man (about ten
thousand in alp and expect to better
their conditions from year to year as
the conditions will warrant it, not by
strikes, but by intelligent argument
on the floor of the joint conference
hall, only resorting to strike when
the operators refuse to grant what
rightfully belongs to us. then we can
go before the public through our Off
GERS and win by aid of public sympa,
thy, the strong organization and the
full treasury we are building up in
time of peace.
The miners and operators of this
state must for the present, at lest, de-
pend on the railroads and the domes.
tic trade to consume the product of
the mines, as there are no large mills
or factories in the state to consume
coal, and our coal veins are not as
good as those in many other states,
hence we can not become an export.
er to any great extent. The domestic
trade is very good in winter and the
operators get good prices for that coal,
but the railroads are not so willing to
advance the price to the coal compa-
MES as they might be, and as the oper-
ators must have some railroad bust
ness in order to run their mines during
the summer they take contracts with
the railroads at much lower price
than they can afford to do with other
consumers, and in most cases much
lower than they can afford to do, but
the majority of the Iowa roads being
interstate they use the argument that
they will get their coal from other
states, and the operators for the want
of confidence in each other, allow the
railroads to whip them into line.
This, in my opinion, is the cause OF
the coal trust being formed in so many
states during the past few years. and
not through any fear of the Miners
Union, as has been stated so many
times, for the operators as rule know
the miners will demand nothing except
what they are entitled to, but the min
ers will not accept reductions or be
denied advances justly due, because
railroads are unwilling to pay fail
price for their coal Hoping to see the
joint method of making wage scales
continued by the miners and opera
tors and extended into all other indus
tries, remain. Yours truly,
i John P. Reese,
President District No. IS, U. M. w
of A.