Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-04-01

miners caucus by very narrow mar
gin, with no: more than eight or ten
votes to spare A motion was made
that tho next joint convention meet in
Des Moines on the second Tuesday in
,darch, 1908. James Sutton, of the op-
orators, moved to strike out Des
Moines and substitute Ottumwa. The
substitute was lost, and the original
motion carried by a tremendous ma.
jority.
In short farewell speech President
Reese said in part
THE new agreement doesn't suit
anybody in every particular but it has
suited majority of the miners and
operators in preference to trouble. II
is not as good as we waived or tried
to get, but it is an agreement. and it
ought to be lived up to by everyone,
regardless OF his previous position. on
the questions involved, in letter and in
spirit. hope next year we may make
an agreement in less time, and we will
if in the meantime we can get along
with less friction. | want to throw a
bouquet to the First district for the
way it has behaved during the past
year. I said at Ottumwa that the First
district would do well to emulate the
example of the other districts. and il
has done so, but the Second district
has copied after the First district as
it used to do. | sincerely hope that a
year hence there will be no complaint
that the agreement has not been lived
up to. If every one when he goes
home feels it his duty to see that the
scale be observed, there will be
smoother shedding next year than
there was last. l hope the operators
and the miners will appreciate the
great crisis that has been so narrowly
avoided and the Importance of the is
sues that have been at stake. 1t is
my wish that the operators may make
money, because believe that there
are many in the state who did not
make money under the present agree
ment. But we say, as we have said
before, that it was not our fault 1t
is to our interest to have the coal in
dustry on paying basis"
Statements by Operators.
Senator Waterman followed Mr.
Reese, saying in part:
Il want to say that during the past
year have had in my company, with
a number of other gentlemen, a lot of
knotty, hustling question to decide,a
desire to thank Mr. Reese and his CO.
laborers for the unfajling courtesy we
have received at their hands,"
President C. H. Morris being called
upon spoke briefly:
I'VE have had long, hard fight.
The operators have conceded little
things, along the line, but, as you
know, We felt that we could not con-
cede more than we did. | think the
miners have no reason to feel that they
haven't got good agreement, and the
operators an agreement that can be
lived up to-"
Secretary-Treasurer John P. White
of the miners Endorsed the remarks of
President Reese, adding: 81 want to
say that the new agreement deals more
specifically with the subjects that
have caused up trouble in past years.
James Sutton of the operators, said:
Il am satisfied that everybody else is
satisfied He congratulated the con-
vention on the good feeling that had
prevailed, and thanked all for their
courtesy
At $50 the joint convention adjourn
ed and the miners convention went in
to executive session to consider the
question Of suspending the constitu-
ton in order to raise the officers sal
aries. They finally voted to refer a |
proposition that the salaries of the
president and secretary be raised from
SIS to $50 per month each to the local
unions, to be decided by referendum
ballot The poll will be taken at once
and the amendment, if it carries, will
go into effect about May 1. AT 6:15
the convention adjourned sine die.
Many of the delegates left the city
last evening. Regarding the result the
feeling current is one of satisfaction
among the operators and of resigna-
ton among the miners. 1T is all we
want" say the former at is the best
that is possible under the circum-
stances" say the latter.
At 9 o'clock this morning the Joint
board met to consider any grievances
that may be presented and to interpret
any provisions of the scale which are
not clearly understood.
Peoria District Agreement.
Peoria, ILL.,, March 2S.-The miners