Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-12
BYRNE AT SCRANTON
Attending Meeting Of American
Federation of Labor.
MEMBER OF CREDENIIAL COMMITTEE
Has Been Hard at Work for Past Week
Says President Gompers Will Be
Reelected - RooseveIt's Message
Well Received-Other News.


Well Received-Otf1er News.
The Courier is in receipt of letter
from Joseph F. Byrne, who is at pres
ent attending the American Fedora
ton of Labor meeting in Scranton, Pa.
MT. Byrne was honored by President
Gompers of the Federation with a
membership on the committee on Gre
dentials and for the past week he has
been busy day and night on this work.
The committee met in Chicago before
going to Scranton and much of its bus
mess was fixed UP at that meeting.
This is the most important committee
of the organization as it has the seat
ing of delegates as its object. Accord
ing to the Associated Press dispatches
its report was submitted Saturday.
Mr.. Byrne hopes to be able to give
more attention to his correspondence
after this and readers of the Courier
may expect many more interesting let
ters, as the great labor meeting pro-
crosses. He is representing the OF
tumwa Trades and Labor Assembly at
Scranton, and is also organizer for
Iowa for the American Federation of
Labor. His letter is as follows:
Scranton, Pa, Dec. 5, 1901.
Dear Courier:-The twentieth CEN
fury meeting of the great labor organ.
iEation, the American Federation of
Labor, is now on, and the battle for
the maintenance of not only ourselves
as American workingmen, and our de-
pendents, but our posterity as working
people is now in the hands of the dele
gates to this convention. What will
be the result?
In looking over the delegates in at
tendance and judging from my expert
ence in the labor field, | would say
that everything that organized labor
expects at the present time will come
TO them from the twentieth century
convention of the American Federation
of Labor, the greatest convention in
the history of the labor movement in
the world. The majority of the dele.
gates are for strist Trades Autono-
my" The address of President Comp
ers required three hours and twenty
five minutes to deliver. 1t was a
grand effort, and met with great ap-
plause. There is no doubt but that
President Gompers will be reelected
to Office by this convention, but H. A.
Morrison, the present secretary may
have some trouble in being returned
to his office.
Presidents Message Well Received.
The message of President Roosevelt
In relation to labor matters met with
prolonged applause, and it is the sense
of the labor leaders" of this country
that he is the best President we have
yet had.
shaffer Is Present.
President Shaffer of the Steel
Workers is here, and will make no
fight before the convention. 1t had
been thought that he might make
some representations or ask for some
thing that could cause trouble, but
this was apparently all false alarm.
Satisfied With Iowa.
AS look at conditions in the east
cannot but feel that the same condi.
tons are far better in the west.
have not seen anything, but what we
can show them something better back
in the western country, and especialiy
is this true among the common people
After having given the matter careful
thought, / cannot but feel that | live
In the greatest country in America.
Facing Busy Week.
Scranton, Pa, Dec. 9.-Having dis
posed of all the preliminaries, the
American Federation of Labor is now
reay to plunge into the six days of ac
tual business. So many questions are
pressing for attention that every hour
of the time will be crowded.
Trade autonomy, considered by
many delegates as the most important
question to come before the conven
ton, Is likely to attract much atten
ton. The brewery workmen and the
mine workers delegates probably vii
be the storm center on this. question
Both of these trade unions want in
dustrial autonomy; that is, they advo
cate that all trades in one industrial
establishment should form one organ
ization for the better advancement O.
the condition Of all. They also an
nounce that they will oppose trade au
tonomy to the bitter end.
The miners in their argument sa,
that if a handful of engineers or fire
men employed in a mine SHOULD
strike it would cause the mine to BIZ
closed, and thus throw out of worl
hundreds of men who may have NJ
grievances. If all trades in the min,
were united under one head the min,
workers say much friction could b,
avoided. Those who advocate trade
autonomy claim it would be fatal TO
them to enter such combination
and that no good result could COM
from an amalgamation of that kind
Cannot Dodge 1t.
The autonomy question is likely t
be introduced by either the firemen O
engineers, which organizations ar
contrasting the rights of the brewer
workmen and mine workers to fore
firemen and engineers employed il
those places to join the brewers o
mine works unions