Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-23
DEFENDS J.P. REESE
United Mine Workers. Journa
Takes Iowan's P,Art.
DENIES THAT HE Has SOLD OUT
Cites in Support of Its Argument the
Relative Value Set Upon His Time
and Services by the Miners and the
Operators.

An editorial in the United Mine
Workers Journal, which is published
in Pennsylvania, defends john PReese
in his recent move-that of taking. a
position Of commissioner for the Iowa
operators in preference to th;lt of pres
ident of District 49, There are some
who have criticised Mr. Reese for the
change and have said, as the Journal
has it, that they have sold OUT To
this the Journal makes answer in the
following style:
The appointment of ex-l.resident
John p Reese, of District 10, tlo the po-
sltlon OF operators commissioner Of
Iowa, brings up some living ia cts. First.
the organization has lost onse of it's
most valuable men-valuable mot only
to District 10, but to the Organization
/ at large. 1t is given to but few men to
have the power to state fact in the
| concise, lucid manner of whsch Mr..
Reese is capable, and which when add
| ed to the precise knowledge, he pos
sessed on mining, made him an op-
ponent worthy of any mans time. The
other fact is the difference in value
which a corporation places upon a
mans service, when compared with
that of labor organization District
ID, valued Mr.. Reese's service at $40
per month. The operators there value
| it al. S166. Mr.. Reese was worth to
the miners at least $500. He get less
than one-fourth of that Take Secre-
tary Ryan of District 10. In addition
| to his multifarious duties as secretary
treasurer, he is one of the custodians
OF the enormous trust fund of the dis
trict- The handling of this fund re-
cures the exercise of the highest fl
nanolal skill and tact and sound liudg-
mentswhich Mr.. Ryan possesses q the
fullest degree. Yet Mr.. Ryan does not
receive as much pay as a union bod
carrier. Secretary Kennedy receives
still less, and so it goes all along the
line. These gentlemen are not com
planning, neither is it the purpose of
the Journal to criticise, or condemn.
the mem paying them. We simply cali
attention to the difference in vallue a
corporation and labor organization
place upon services. Surprising that
a corporation had been beset with the
same powerful opponents that the
mine workers met this year, and sun
posing that their agent had by the
same degree OF wisdom tact and fore
sight, been as successful as President
| tAiISiCil, WhdC WOulu ludC CORPORATION
have paid him? Not less than $50 ono
year. If each member of the United
Mine Workers would contribute bu1t the
price of al single glass of beer each
year, President Mitchell would secure
about half what a corporation would
pay him.
Surprising corporation had a man
like Secretary Wilson--handling mil.
lions, with the same degree of success
/ as he, showing the same sagacity and
financial ability-what would it have
paid him? Tens of thousands. Agar.
supposing a corporation had two mers
like Purcell and Evans, performing the
same arduous and intricate duties as
they performed this year in West yir-
ginia? Would the corporation have
paid them laborer's wages? The Uni
ted States government and labor or
ganizations pay the poorest wages for
the same service of any under the sun.
When men like Ratchford. Reese
Howe or Bailey are snapped up bv q
corporation, thoughtless people alleea
they have sold out" Nonsense, me
corporation recognizes their ability
and pays them accordingly.