Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-02
DEFENDS REESE
Local Labor Union Authority Says
Miners President is True.
POINTS OUT HIS GOOD QUALITIES
News About the Local Trades Unions
Everything is Prosperous in La
Dor Circles at Present-Several
Elections Will Be Held Soon.

Dor Circles at Present-Several
Elections Will Be Held Soon.
1.-THE matter published in this col.
umn is furnished by the officers of the
Federation of Labor
Anent the stories and pipe dreams"
about John P. Reese, the president of
the United Mine Workers of District
10, it is meet that something be said
in this column. From the different
stories in circulation, one would be
led to believe that Mr.. Reese has con-
siderable complaint to make for the I'M
just criticism that has been beaped
upon him. Cool heads and we'll think
ing men who are not apt to criticise
anyone on stories that are set afloat
without any foundation are not worry
ing much about the effects that reports
will have. Mr.. Reese has been tried
by the miners as their state president
and his sterling qualities are well
known to them. There has been no
time in the history of the miners of
that state when Mr.. Reese has claim
ed the whole credit for the upbuilding
of the organization. He has done his
duty and done it well, and it is I'M
fortunate that unjust criticism should
come to him at time when refer
endum vote for the election of officers
is taking place. While the miners
have in their ranks many men who can
fill the position of state president and
who are, no doubt as much entitled
to run for the office and to be elected
as is Mr.. Reese, yet his sterling char
acter and ability stand out prominent
ly before the miner and operator of
Iowa. He is an honest and upright Of
ticer and representative of labor Or
ganization-a man whose aim in life
has been to deal fairly with employer
and employee. Another point at issue
| is that Mr.. Reese has never claimed
that the organization would go back
ward should he be defeated as presi-
dent, and thing that he couscientiously
knows could not take place. So far
as he is concerned, whether president
or not, he is for the United Mine Work
ers of America and every other labor
organization with both his mind and
heart. Surprising that he were to &C
| cept the commissionership to represent
the operators in their dealings with
the miners, a position which he could
no doubt have had but which he de-
clined almost before it was offered on
account of his deep interest in the Ia
Dor movement in Iowa and the whole
country, could any sensible miner in
the state of Iowa say that he would
make an unjust commissioner or that
his appointment to that position would
bring ruin upon the United Mine
Workers of America? No! On the
other hand he would have proved him
self as capable and honorable in that
position as in any way that he has ever
held.
Without any idea of influencing any
one to vote for any particular candi-
date for president, of the state miners
organization, and having personal ac-
quaintance with every man who op-
poses Mr.. Reese in the race, all Of
whom are worthy and capable men,
the writer still believes that justice
should be done John P. Reese in men
tioning his past record, which is suffi-
Gent recommendation for his future
actions The people in general are
glad that he has decided to remain in
the ranks of organized labor. His
manly denial of the newspaper state.
ments should stop all slanderous ton
CUES from assassinating his character.
Trades and Labor Assembly.
The Trades and Labor Assembly
will meet tomorrow evening at Labor
Hall, and as this is to be the semi-an.
nual meeting the election of officers
will take place. Many important mat
tiers of interest to the unions of the
city will be brought up and it is hoped
that all delegates will be present AT
the last regular meeting of the assem-,
bly, resolutions of coincidence for Mr.
and Mrs X. Mckenzie were introduc,
ed and adopted. The resolutions were
as follows:
Whereas, it has pleased God to take
from the home of our friend and
brother, X. Mckenzie, his beloved son
Kenneth, and
Whereas, We keenly appreciate the
sorrow that such a parting brings to
the parents of this beloved boy, there
fore be it
Resolved. That the Ottumwa
Trades and Labor Assembly in regular
session on this 26th day of December
1901, extend out heartfelt sympathy tc
the bereaver parents and relatives in
this, their hour of sorrow"
The Bartenders' League.
J. The Bartenders League is now in
it's most prosperous condition since its
organization. The members are dis
playing their new union cards and are
/ wearing their union buttons. Presi
; dent j. J. Queeney is hustling things
right along and prospects are pointing
to an increase in the membership tc
the extent of getting every member oil
5 the craft in Ottumwa into this union.
Garment Workers.
w. w. Larger of Cincinnati, presi
dent of the Garment Workers of Amer
lea, was IN the city yesterday and Wis
tied all the clothing stores in the in
terest of his organization. He me-
with the local union Tuesday evening
:, and gave the members some good ad
vice. Mr.. Larger reports an encourag
ing increase in the demand for unior
label goods and says that the nationa
hon aoua IT orc ic kent buSv icSuinp the