Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-08-08
LABOR DAY IS NEAR
Ottumwa to Have Grandest Cele-
bration in It's History.
PROGRAM SOON TO BE ANNOUNCED
Will Contain Many Interesting Fea-
tures-Meat Cutters Elect Perna-
nent Officers and Strong Union Is
Established-The Great Steel Strike.

1.-THE matter published in this col.
umn is furnished by the officers of the
Federation of Labor.
fFrom Fridays Dailyl
One month from today will be labor
day and the Trades and Labor assem-
bly, are making preparations for al
elaborate celebration. Letters receiv-
ed from unions in cities near Ottumwa
indicate that great army of laboring
men will be in the line of parade. The
committees of the Trades Assembly
will 60 to work in earnest next week TO
complete all arrangements. Every
body seems to be enthusiastic and all
of the different unions are arranging
uniforms. The assembly has ordered
five thousand labor badges and the pa
rade will be the most elaborate ever
attempted at a labor day celebration
in this city. The Trades and Labor
Assembly will meet in special session
next Tuesday evening at Labor hall
when a complete program for the oc-
casion will be completed and announc-
ed to the public.
Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen.
The Amalgamated meat cutters and
butcher workmen met in regular se3-
sion at the Woodman hall, corner of
Main and Ash streets Wednesday ev-
ening and permanent Officers were
elected and installed and the union
voted to participate in the Labor day
celebration. This organization is grow
ing rapidly and the conservative man.
ner in which they are handling their
affairs is gaining friends for them as
well as members. Look out for this
Labor day celebration in the Labor
day parade and it will speak for itself
The Printing Freshmen.
The printing pressmen met in regu'
lar session Tuesday evening, at which
time the report of the national convcn-
ton was read and several questions
were voted upon by referendum.
The steel Strike.
1t is the opinion of organized labor in
this city that the steel strike will not
be settled on the basis of the agree
ment as published in the newspapers
1t is the belief among the Trades I'm
ionists that no settlement can be made
with the sheet metal workers that does
not recognize the union in all the mills
and If settlement is made along the
lines of the agreement, it will be as
sured to the sheet metal workers thai
no interference will be placed upor
them in thoroughly organizing all tbs
u mills of the steel trust, which it is be
1ieyed can be accomplished when it Il
known among the employees of the non
union mills that there will be no dis
elimination against them for becoming
members of the union, they will flocl
to the protection of the union to tht
end that all employees of the steel trus
will be thoroughly organized.
Carpenters Union.
The membership of the carpenters
has grown to such an extent that i
was necessary for them to procure
larger meeting place than Labor hail
and now they have a hall in the Taylo
building, corner of Main and CoUr
streets. There are but few non-uniol
carpenters in the city and those VIII
are still outside the pale of the uniol
are either Indifferent to their Cwn we
fare or care but little of the dignity .
the carpenter" or the laborer in ger
eral.' Indeed the carpenters are
grand organization and the way thei
organization transacts business is
credit to themselves.
Reaching Non-Union Men.
Of 214 cities in which the Unite
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiner
of America had strikes during the yea
1900, they were defeated in only six c
them. In seventeen of the said cite
compromise was effected, leaving 10
cities in which the strikers won thei
point. The strike in 113 cities was [
enforce the eight-hour system,
eighty-five to obtain nine hours, and /
sixteen for the enforcement of gene
al trade rules And still there al
men working at the carpenters cal
ing who don't think it necessary I
join trade union. Such a record q
this, if it could be brought home to tn
members of the craft outside of til
unions, would we believe operate
bring every decent man who uses tt
plane and hammer to enroll himse
at once under the banner of trade III
ionism. One of the troubles is, an
the principal one, that there is Il
way, at least no adequate way,
reach the poor, ill-informed and ofte
misguided men who represent the IL
organized mass of labor in sever
callings. 1t may be a selfish sugge
ton, but We none the less freely a
vance it: We believe that if each mer
Der of trade union were to take u
ON himself the obligation to put
good union paper into the hands
every good man of his calling who
he knows to be outside of the rank
the result soon would be that the
would be no vast unorganized" incr
ment" to disturb the movement for Ii
ing wages. 80 ar
Foundation for Injustice.
Formation of opinion on absolu
fact is not the rule, but the exceptio
Intact; it may be said that almost III
versally opinion is to be found base