Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-28
! PEOPLES PULPIT. :
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The Rise and Fall of Miners Leaders
in Iowa.

The Rise and Fall of Miners Leaders
in Iowa.
The miners of Iowa will remember
that in the days gone by their leaders
were led astray by taking up politics,
and after the votes were counted were
dead to their one time friends, the
miners. l cite j. R. Sovereign, who
sprung into prominence by publishing
red-hot sheet at Atlantic. If my
memory is right it was called the At
lantic Telegraph. He espoused the
cause of labor by promising to cleanse
the world of all the financial sins it
had committed for the past decade
For some cause unknown to anyone
but Sovereign, he Topped over to the
democrats and made speeches for
them and was finally elected state
master workman of the X. of L., dis
triet 1Q9 Qowa), composed of miners
and laborers. His influence was felt
and he was In due time appointed
state labor commissioner under Boiss
during the latter,s first term, but as
lightning never strikes twice in, one
place, Sovereign was left out the sec
ond term and is now a travelling insur-
ance agent in Mississippi at a salary
Of $500 per year. Dead to all, his
name is never heard of any more only
when some one refers to his deeds.
After Sovereign's time one w. T..
Wright of Oskaloosa, sprung into
prominence not for anything there was
in the man but purely for the stolen
thunder he preached. And he was
elected state master workman Of dis
trict No. 109 knights of Labor. He
preached reform doctrine, government
by injunction and everything that
Wouldn't give Wright something for
nothing. He was let down the second
term of his administration. He cut
quite a figure In the Hawkeye mines
near Ottumwa. 1t was here he was
preparing home for all mining pat
riots thrown out of work for preaching
thunder. But in this he failed. He
took unto himself wife and worked
in the country rlines around Ottumwa
a few years. Having been cast aside
by the miners he drifted into Kansas
living at Pittsburg. Here he commenc-
ed his old tactics of preaching populist
doctrine and virtually was elected
state president of the miners union of
| Kansas. He was elected at a delegate
| convention. During his term the ret
erendum plan was adopted to elect a
president. This knocked Wright cleal
out. During the last convention OF
miners held in Kansas he came il
with political faction with a political
resolution to turn the miners union
into politics. After discussion the
| question was put, standing vote was
| called for and all present stood ur
against it except Wright himself
Where is he today? Down in the Goa
mines at Kirkwood. Kansas.
AS time rolled along one Waite,
Scott of Mystic was put in as presi
i dent of the miners union for Iowa
The political bee buzzed in his hat ant
the. democratic party wanted to run {
president of the miners union in ordel
to scoop up the miners vote and Wal
ter was nominated for congress'in The
Ieighth district. He made speeches al
over the district. When the votes
were counted he was showed under
i Where is he today? Eking out a liv
ing printing a newspaper in Mystic
Judging from the past where will ]. P
Reese be after November (? Echo an
swers Down in the coal mine under
meath the ground" Miner.