Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-09-10
THEY SHOULD UNITE
Merchants and Unions Gould Make
Labor Day Great Success.
FACT WAS DEMONSTRATED MONDAY
Had Reduced Rates Been Given by All
Railroads Several Thousand More
People Would Have Been Attracted
Here-WiII Get Together Next Year.

Railroads Several IhouSahd wore
People Would Have Been Attracted
Here-WiII Get Together Next Year.
1.-THE matter published in this COL
umn is furnished by the officers of tie
Federation of Labor.
The magnificent display OF the labor
unions in the parade on Labor Day
in no way showed the strength of
labor organizations as it would have
done had all the union men
who were among the spectators
on the sidewalk, been in the
line of march 1t is estimated by
affairs that the parade would have
been one-half mile longer had every
union man been in line. AS it was
the representation made on the streets
of Ottumwa shows the strength, power
and growth of the labor organizations
of this city and the interest taken by
the wage earners in behalf OF them
selves.
On account of the drought the dust
made it rather unpleasant for those
who attended the picnic at Manning
grove, yet everybody seemed to enjoy
themselves. The Labor Day celebra-
tons in the United States have come
to exceed all other like events aud
this years celebrations We're of mag
nitude heretofore unknown. Next
years Labor Day in Ottumwa will be
much larger than this years, as those
those who had charge of the celehra-
ton this year have learned something
by the experience and will be better
equipped to handle the affairs for next
year. 1t is realized by the Trades aud
Labor assembly that if any effort had
been put forth, thorough cooperation
could have been had with the bust
ness men in the way of getting reduc-
ed railroad rates and Ottumwa would
| have had six or eight thousand more
visitors. A few statistics should open
| the eyes of all who are interested in
Ottumwa. Four thousand round trip
| tickets were sold from Cedar Rapids
to points offering reduced rates and
holding Labor Day celebrations. Had
Ottumwa secured rates from that city
there is no doubt but that a large por-
ton of those people would have visit.
ed this city Eight thousand round
trip tickets were sold from different
points to Galesburg, H., where another
large celebration was held. These en-
cursions were run over the Burlington
route Had Ottumwa been given
rates over that road at least half that
number of tickets would have been
sold to this city. This should open
the eyes of those who are interested
in the welfare of Ottumwa as no bet
! ter advertisement of the city could be
had than through a personal visit by
the residents of surrounding towns In
fact Labor Day has taken the place OF
all other days for the laboring class
: to visit one and another and Labor
Day is Ottumwa's opportunity for the
retail merchants to build up an in.
creasing trade from adjacent towns
One draw back to celebrations is the
: lack of good parks. Ottumwa needs q
first class public park and that it
needs one badly was satisfactory illus
trated to all those who attended the
Labor Day picnic. However the cele
bration was a grand success and the
Trades and Labor assembly extends
thanks to all those who so ably rs
sisted.
cigarmakers' Union.
: The cgarmakers of this city were
never in any better condition than al
the present time. The Ctgarmakers
international Union since it's organiza
: ton has paid out nearly S5,000,000 If
benefits. During 1900 the union ex
: pended $410,705 in benefits to its mem
: bers This was exclusive of the cos
! of running the organization.
/. The benefits are as follows: Sicl
benefits S. per week; strike benefit
SIS per week; out of work benefit, S;
: per week; death benefit, $50, $780, S35(
and $3.50, according to the length o
: membership; loan benefit not to ex
= coed $40, and wife and widowed
: mother funeral benefit, $40.
i Painters and Decorators.
This organization will meet in Labo
: hall tonight, when important business
!, will be taken up. Every member i
!. requested to be present.
r Talk of Amalgamation.
y There is again talk of all the raj
road brotherhoods amalgamating to re
i sist the demands that are sure to b
5 made on them by the recently conso
dated railroad interests. The Ger
5 tralizing of vast corporate interes
L will, it is believed, tend to the solidify
. ing of the unions.
J. Merchants See the Point.
l. Fort Worth merchants have begu
l. to insist that clerks must be member
of the union and keep their dues pal
% up. This is the result of customer
l. asking for union cards and refusing t
L buy goods in stores whenever a cler
4 is found without current workin
II card.
IS A New Department.
"a The American Federation of Labc
- is adopting a new departure, as wi
- be seen by the following circular lie
- ter sent out by Secretary Frank Morl
: son to the secretaries of all affiliate
: central bodies.
:. in accordance with the action
y, the Louisville convention of the Anne
~ lean Federation of Labor, you are r
=, quested to forward to this Office.