Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-06

were read yesterday afternoon at the
convention of that organization in the
Odd Fellows hall at Des Moines.
President Reese, whose report of the
work of the past year was given first,
began talking about 3 o'clock, and
during the next two hours he, together
with Vice President Edwin Perry,
Secretary Treasurer White and Aud
itor John Barrow, made their reports
to the convention.
All the reports are full and cover
every point which has come up for the
attention of the various officers of the
!, association during the past year The
reports, too, show the organization to
be in a splendid condition, both num-
erically and financially. AS shown in
Secretary Whites report, there are
now 1905 members of the miners
union in the state of Iowa, and in the
treasury there is balance of over
$4,000, $4,000 Of which bears per
cent interest.
Mr.. Whites Report.
The secretary-treasurer's resume of
affairs as he finds them follows:
MIR. President and Gentlemen of
the Convention
1T affords me great pleasure at the
end of another successful year in the
history of our organization, to have
the honor to report to you and render
you true account of the affairs of
my office. AS your secretary-treasur-
er l am proud to say that at no time
in our career have we enjoyed so
much public confidence as we at this
time have, and, | trust, will maintain
! will call your attention to the numer
ical and financial growth of the or
ganiZation, as these two features are
the most important ones of my annual
report, and | invite your special at
tention and thoughtful consideration
of these subjects. The domain Of the
United Mine Workers has been eX-
tended now to almost. every remote
habitation of our district where coal
is mined. We now have eighty three
local unions in the district with an ag-
gregate membership of 12.015
members all in good standing. There
have been fourteen new locals organ
lied during the year with member
ship of 600 new members There
have been two local unions lapsed and
surrendered their charters on account
of the mines being finished Your
treasury continues to grow and we
now have healthy bank account and
the same is deposited in accordance
with the constitution. 1t has been
my steady aim and constant purpose
to guard your financies with firm
policy, fully realizing the great re-
sponsibilitieS that devolve upon the
secretary-treasurer, and in my judg-
ment we can all congratulate our
selves upon the excellent condition of
our district. There have been many
great questions arising from time to
time for your executive board to con-
slider but they We're disposed of in
manner that was creditable, and to-
day the standing of the organization
remains unimpaired, and in the main
We have enjoyed fair years work
In the mines of our district. While
we have had our dull seasons, we
have had our share, l think, when we
take into comparison the status of
trade in other states, and general
review of the coal industry of our
state will show it to be in very good
condition. The agreement we entered
into one year ago remains in full force
Very little, if any, complaint can be
made that we have not adhered strict
1y to the agreement. While there has
been some stoppages of the mines, and
have found from personal investiga-
ton that if both operator and miner
had exercised due consideration in
many instances the same could have
been avoided, but | believe that we
should have our annual agreement
deal more specifically with the various
subjects of the same. While / am
well aware that our present agree
ment as a whole has been very fair
one, nevertheless, in some instances,
we have only covered the question in
vague mannerthus leaving too much
latitude for opinion and to render a
decision upon the same more difficult,
and trust that the experience of the
past will be the means of psrfecting
our contract in this respect. 1t will
be the saving of time and money and
will greatly lessen the friction that
usually accrues from such misunder.
standings.
Progress Continues.
During the year | have done a
large amount of field work, as the ex.
pense incident to my office will show
In my last annual report ] called your
attention to the phenomenal growth
we were undergoing and We have kept
the same marked degree of progress
of events since, until now gentlemen
your president and secretary are nc
longer able to meet the demands that
are being made upon them for Their
services, and the many and constantly
incleasing duties that are multiplying
the correspondence accommodating
from day to day, the financial matters
needing more attention, your secre
tary-treasurer will be unable to dc
field work in the future as it has beer
customary for him to do in the past
and the best interests of the organiza
tion will be subserved by this conven
ton meeting some legislation that viii
adequately provide for the same.
think we should establish permanent
headquarters and equip an Office, ant
have all matters pertaining to the or
ganization come direct to the same, q!
the private home OF the president ant
secretary is not at this time proper
place for the officers for many rea
sons, and when you take into eonsid
Grafton that our membership is scat