Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-21
Gives Them the Freedom of the
City.
PRESIDENT REESE'S HAPPY RESPONSE
J, r. Byrne also Welcomes the Dele
gates on Behalf of Local Lahorins
Men-convention, Which viii Agree
on Wage Scale, in Full Blast.

ever present at meeting of the kind
assembled in Turner hall at 10 o'clock
this morning, when John P. Reese, of
Abba, called the convention of Dis
trict No. 13, U. M. w. of A. to order
The opening session was very brief.
Mayor Phillips in short address
of welcome turned over the keys OF
the city to the miners, and j. F. Byrne
welcomed them in behalf of the trades
and lobar assembly of Ottumwa. At
ter brief response by President
Reese, a committee on credentials
and rules and order of business was
appointed and the convention nd journ>
ed until o'clock.
Called to Order.
The convention of the miners dele
gates of District No. Is, U. Nj. w. of
A. was called to order in the Turner
opera house at 10 o'clock by John P.
Reese. of Abba president of the dis
trict. One hundred seventy-five dele
gates were present when Mr.. Reese
arose to state the object of the meet
ing, and he was greeted with a burst
of enthusiasm. Secretary John j.
White, of Oskaloosa, read the call for
the convention, and at it's conclusion
it was moved and seconded that the
call be accepted, which unanimously
carried.
Address of Welcome.
President Reese then announced to
the convention that Mayor Phillips
would make the address of welcome,
but that he was not yet present owing
possibly to the incorrect announce
ment of the time the convention would
be called to order, that had appeared
in some newspapers. Mayor Phillips
appeared in few moments and was
| introduced by President Reese. May
or Phillips said:
| My friends:-A few years ago and
in this city citizen who had passed
the half century mark was requested
to address the students of the high
school and he began his short speech
| by saying: Fellow Students. There
was some merriment at the expense
OF the speaker until he began to ex
plain to all his fellow students, young
and old, that there was no time in life
that one could not be student or in
a position to learn something from
contact with others engaged in kind
red pursuit. So my friends, come to
you today in the same spirit and say
My Fellow Miners" and there are
some of you here who will bear testi
| mony to the fact that know how tc
use the too,s and the powder to the
best advantage, and am thus in a po
sition to appreciate all that there is
| in the life of the miner. 1t is a life oil
toll and exposure but every day there
is a day of heroism and sacrifice
Heroism, because it demands exposure
to danger Sacrifice. because the days
and hours are given not alone to your
selves but for the benefit of your fam
lilies, the wife and children. Mining
is perilious to life, therefore those who
A mine together become like soldiers
they are bound together by bono
4 that is sacred. We all recognize this
fraternity whether as employers OF
employed. We all partake of the com
i mon peril. In this spirit of fraternit,
4 welcome you as fellow miners toda,
and hope that your stay among us will
be pleasant and profitable.
j. F. Sryne introduced.
J.F.Byrne of Ottumwa, was then in
4 troduced, and made an address in be
half of the Trades and Labor unions
of this city. He was greeted with grea
applause and said in part:
Mr.. Chairman aad My Fellow Lab
orers: In welcoming you to this cit,
as Trades Unionists, you are ou
guests and we are your hosts. If W.
treat you too well, don't blame us, w,
did the best we could. | was her
when the eight hour movement wa
started in our little hall down on Sec
ond street which we still maintain
and where untold good has been az
complished for the benefit of the lat
oring man, and | see in this conver
tion many who were at the first meet
ing that was held for the purpose O
inaugurating the eight hour move
ment. You have seen that movemen
grow to large proportions, and hop
you will yet live to see it grow still
larger.
This city has exhibited highe
: standard of entertainment than wa
ever before reached in the slate. and