Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-07
John P. White, Of Oskaloosa, Wis.,
tied Ottumwa Monday.
SECRETARY TREASURER OF MINERS
Has Made Arrangements for Reduced
Railroad Rates for the Convention
Meetings Will Be Held in Turner
Hall-Mr. White Talks
From Tuesdays Daily.

John p White, of Oskaloosa, secre-
tary-treasurer of the United Mine
Workers of America for District 13,
which comprises Iowa and the north
ern tier of counties in Missouri, was
in the city yesterday completing ar
rangements for the district and Joint
conventions, which will be held in OF
tumwa beginning February 81. Ow-
ing to the fact that John Reece, the
district president, is attending the ma
tional convention at Columbus, Ohio,
Mr.. White is doing the work which
falls both to Mr.. Reece and to him
self, end is kept quite busy. He is,
however, an able officer, and the min
ers know that their affairs are in
good hands when they are being at
tended to by John White.
Reduced Rates.
Mr. White has made arrangements
with the Western Passenger Associa-
ton by which one and one-third
fare on the certificate plan has been
secured for the convention. He has
also secured the Turner hall for the
meeting during the convention.
Executive Board Meeting.
The executive board of the district
will hold meeting at the Laclede hotel
in this city, on February 20, the day
preceding the opening of the district
convention. At this meeting the
plans will probably be roughly outlin
ed for the work which is to be done
at the convention, and not until af-
ter this meeting is finished will any
one be able to say, with any degree of
certainty, what the trend of events
in the annual convention will be.
Miners Convention.
The annual convention of the miners
of the district will begin February 81
and will last four days. At this con-
vention the miners will revise their
| constitution and bylaws for the gov
eminent of their proceedings during
the coming year, changing them as
the changes in the conditions since
the last revision demand. The usual
work will come up for consideration,
among other things being election OF
officers. 1t is hardly probable that
much competition will be in evidence
in this matter and the offices will
probably be filled quickly.
About the Scale.
The most important matter to be
taken up in the miners convention is
| that Of the demands which will be
made OF the operators in the joint
convention, which will be held immed
| lately after the completion of the dis
trict convention. These demands will
be largely on the question of scale OF
wages to be paid. and may raise much
discussion, which is likely to prolone
the joint meeting to term of two
weeks or even more. However, &C
cording to the views of prominent min
ers, it is anticipated that this years
| joint convention will be a very har
monious one, and that it will last only
a few days.
Mr.. White Talks.
When questioned concerning this
phase of the matter, Mr.. White said:
Il dislike to be quoted in that connec
ton for the truth of the matter is thai
no enc knows until the convention is
finished what is to occur. No Officer
could make an intelligent statement
on that point, no matter how we'll &C
qualnted he may be with the state O.
affairs in the district, for it is in the
convention, and there only, that The
real sentiment of the miners is known
and it must be remembered that it i:
the body Of miners which controls the
voice OF the convention. An officer!
vote in the convention counts no more
than that of any other member. ant
the brains of the district are not con
centrated in the heads of the officers
hence no officer can rightly foretel
what is to be done in the convention