Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-26
Iowa Miners Will Abide by Their
Contracts.
THOMAS ]. PHILLIPS INTERVIEWED
Believes Way Will Be Found Out Of
Difficulty Which Will Satisfy the
Is Men-Latter Are Not in Favor of
Walk-out.

Although there is a strong senti-
ment, and rightly so, among the NIL
ners of this state in sympathy with the
anthracite miners of the east and a
hope that they will win, yet | believe
that two thirds of the miners of this
state are opposed to the members OF
the union in this territory going out
on sympathetic strike, said Thorn
as J. Phillips of this city, manager of
the Whitebreast Fuel company, and
one of the most influential operators in
the state, this morning in speaking of
the conditions that the present time
surround the workers in the east.
Il do not believe that the miners of
this state or of any of the others in
which the annual agreement between
them and the operators is in force will
enter into sympathetic strike, but |
do believe that at the coming annual
national convention of the United Mine
4 Workers of America, which is to be
held July IL, in indianapolis, there will
sbe a way found out of the difficulty
which will accomplish the desires of
all miners in regard to the eastern
field and at the same time keep the
agreements of the western men invio-
late.
z The Agreement.
81 do not believe that the majority
of the miners of this state are in ia
vor of a strike said Mr.. Phillips, "for
the reason that they now have con-
tract with the operators for the year
1902, which | believe they expect to
maintain. There is no money obliga-
tionforthe maintenance of this agree
ment but I believe that there is ], a
stronger and more binding considera-
& ton that will keep the miners of this
state and of others where they have
an annual agreement from disregard
ing the condition of the contract and
going out on strike. / believe that
the moral sentiment of the majority
of the members of the United Mine
Workers of this state recognize the
moral obligation there is in the con,
tract which they have made with the
operators of this state and in my opin-
Jon am confident that they recognize
that it would be a breach of this con-
#fidence should they go out on afsym-
pathetic strike. Is
Everything to Lose.
ut is recognized that the miners of
the anthracite regions Of Pennsylva nia
conditions and principles that the
miners of Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, In
diana and Ohio already have, that Of
shorter hours, the recognition of the
union and an agreement of wage
scale. This being the case, how
would a walk out of the miners in this
part of the country assist those in the
east in securing an agreement with
the operators, when it would be dem
onstrated by the mine workers of this
part of the country that that agree,
ment would be liable to disregard on
the part of the members of the mine
union? / believe that should the min
ers of this state follow this course
they would lose prestige which they
have gained in this state during the
past few years of the history of their
organization.
Would Not Meet.
81 believe that should the miners
disregard their agreement that the
operators of this state would take a
decided stand against meeting with
them next February for the purpose
of making the agreement for 1903 and
in this way Walk-out here would
work not an injustice but decided
harm to the interests of the u. M. w.
of A. of Iowa. What assurance would
there be if the agreement now in
force, made between the miners I'M
ton and the operators of Iowa, should
be broken, that another contract would
be kept?" asked Mr. Phillips Not
only would the operators become dis
trustful of the organization but the