Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-26

came west seventeen years ago and To-
Gated in Lucas county, Iowa, where he
found the conditions that he had left
behind him staring him in the face;
again no organization, men discourag-
ed and cast down because of the de-
feat of a strike which they had bitter
ly contested against the introduction
of the big screens. Negroes had been
shipped in to take their places and
white miners had been turned out of
their houses to make room for the col
ored men and a spirit of determined
hatred prevailed all around; the
white against the black and the black
against the white.
But from the embers of dying fire
there is sometimes greater fire start
ed; so it was in this case for, thru the
efforts of Mr.. Haddow and Others, they
soon worked up feeling of unionism
and established good local of the
Knights of Labor and so kept the ball
of organization rolling.
Having taken up the cause of lab
or in this state and there being no
state organization worth mentioning
he held true to the Knights of Labor
until 1t became evident to him that
miners should have a craft organiza-
ton for miners and mine laborers
alone. He was almost always to be
found as delegate to every state CON
vention in Iowa for the last sixteen
years and there along with other re-
formers trying to redress the wrongs
of his fellow man.
The CaSsett bill demanding that all
coal be weighed before being screened
had his hearty support, and with the
help of Brother s. Jameson, now of
Hiteman, they presented petition be-
fore the state legislature that would
almost have covered the floor of a
good sized bedroom, praying for the
passage of the bill in it's original form.
| 1t was passed after some hard fighting
but with that Internal clause attached
to it that made it a curse to the min
ers of Iowa.
Ten years ago when Iowa made a
stand for the adoption of the eight
hour day he was found in the front
ranks and worked hard to make it a
success, but the want of organization
made it impossible for them to win
and SO defeat was the result and min
ers again We're divided to such an eX-
tSu ludt IL fIOOhSu do Ilo IL Wouiu pc
| impossible to gather them together
again. But there was still rem
nant of unionism left here and there
thruout the state, and from such has
sprung the present powerful organiza-
ton, the U. M. of A.
He was member of the state exc
cutive board during the first joint
agreement and did some very valuable
service in those troublesome times
being sent by President Ream all over
the state to settle difficulties that had
arisen between operator and miner
wherever it was possible, He invaria-
bly, got the trouble fixed up to the sat
isfaction of both employer and en-
ploye.
/ He has been twice on the state Of
fetal ballot as candidate for state
representative. He was delegate to
the national convention of the U. M
| w. of A. in 1900, when he ran for ma.
1 tional executive board member in
which he received almost the entire
vote of the Iowa delegation and good
many Others from other states. He
belongs to local union 154 of Keb
which is one of the few locals in the
state that has never needed to cal
any state officer to settle any griev
ances that have arisen during the pc
riod of the joint agreements.
i He is filing his second term as jus
tice of the peace to the satisfaction
of all concerned, but having spent his
lifetime in the coal mines among
black damp, bad air, powder, smoke
etc., his health is failing him yer!
fast, and it will soon be impossible
for him to follow that vocation an.
longer He is glad to think, however
! that brighter prospect stands before
I the miner today than ever before ant
he is glad to think he was one OF the
few who kept up the fight until ]
has attained the position the miners
and operators now hold towards on,
another. BY long experience MI
Haddow has learned that conserva
tism is far superior to radicalism ant
would advise the use of cool, calm ant
deliberate actions in the settlemen
of all disputes between miner and op
orator. That the miner may not eS
i pect to see everything that is du'
| him totally restored in day, but wal
with patience until his time comes
Then he will be able to say 1t shall
be done according to justice, and tn
operator will meet his employee witt
feeling Of respect that will brini
4 harmony between the two great pow
ers, capital and labor.