Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-04-23
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! IN THE LABOR REALM. !
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

4 in THE LABOR REALM. 4
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1.-THE matter published in this col
umn is furnished by the officers of the
Federation of Labor.l
[From Fridays Daily.J
In looking at the industrial future
for the members of organized labor
during the coming spring and summer,
all find cause to be thankful for the
bright outlook. The prospect for
employment in the building trades
line is quite encouraging, and what is
true of the building trades can also
be said of other lines of industry.
Generally speaking, the members of
organized labor in this city have had
their pay materially increased and
their hours shortened through the eff
: forts of their unions. The conditions
of the wage Garner who is member
of trades union in Ottumwa today
and the conditions that existed for the
same man before unionism got foot
hold in Ottumwa have greatly chang
ed, and this change has brought
blessing, not only to the wage Garner
himself, but has been of lasting bene-
fit to the business interests of the
city.
1t is well to note that all these good
things have not been brought about
without hard and ardent work and
many sacrifices on the part of few
men who were the pioneers of this
movement in Ottumwa. 1t is pleas,
ure also to know that a majority of
the business men of the city are heart
lily in sympathy with the trades union
movement, and lend every effort that
is consistent to the advancement of
the wage earners, as they realize that
any thing that accrues to the financial
benefit of the workers also is of bene-
fit to them.
The demand for the union label is in
creasing daily and its increase shows
the strength of organized labor in
many ways. In less than year from
now Ottumwa will be among the lead
, ing union cities west of the Mississippi
pi, and the wage earners should heark-
en- the day when that takes place.
Garment Workers.
The charter for the local garment
workers union has arrived and the
organization was completed last even
ing, and it starts out with the bright
est of prospects. The officers of this
organization are:
President-Miss Edith Mudgett.
Secretary-Miss Mary Doyle.
The union label will be placed upon
the garments made by the Hardsocg
Manufacturing Co., and the Hawkeye
Shirt Co., and soon the people of OF
{ tumwa will have an opportunity to
buy overalls and shirts made at hime
and bearing the union label.
BIacksmiths' Union.
The new blacksmiths' union seems
to be progressing finely, and it's Off
GERS report everything working salts
factorily between employer and en-
Dloye.
The Commune Anniversary.
Thirty years ago the world witness
ed the greatest uprising of the work
ing people, the most passionate out
burst of pent-up wrong, and withal
dominated by the noblest of purposes,
attended by the most heroic self-sacri-
flee, in an effort to establish liberty
and equality among men. Who can
read of "the men behind the barri
cades" of the Commune without feel
ing admiration for, and something of
the spirit of, those who fought up to
the lannon's mouth in defense of what
they believed to be right?
But barricades built of paving stones
and debris had come to be almost a
common occurrence in the lives of the
Parisians, from the revolution of 1878
against feudalism, down to the middle.
class affair of 1880, again to the revolt
against royalty in 184S, and the cleo
ton of Bonaparte to the presidency
up to the Commune of 1870, when the
German troops besieged the city and
subsequently, under the direction oil
Bismarck, connived with the upper
classes to suppress the mutinous pro
letariat.
Here might be recognized that al
lance of powers such as has been ad
yocated in our own times. Certain
important condolences between ther
and now may also be noted. France
3 was in state of unrest. The Orlean
lists hoped for restoration, as they
still hope. The working people hat
suffered much under Napoleonic re
gime. Speculative schemes, mass
ing of capital, a closing in of oppor
tunities, were everywhere manifest
money was scarce, interest was higl
and credit was bad; murmerings wer'