Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-17
STAND BY THE AGREEMENTS.


the labor movement in this state is
the fact that the delegates sent by the
Iowa miners to the Indianapolis con-
vention go uninstructed They should
not only go instructed to vote against
q sympathetic strike involving the
Iowa miners, but they should also go
instructed to notify the convention
that the Iowa miners will not stand by
any action that will cause them to yio-
late the agreement which they have
entered into with the Iowa operators
for the ensuing year. If the Iowa del.
egates really believe that as a last re-
sort in order ito save their organiza-
tion," they must consent to violate
agreements and participate in SYM
pathetic strike they do not understand
the temper of the general public,
The Courier knows that Dis
trict President Reese of the
Miners organization, has al
ways insisted that every agree
ment be religiously lived up to. Yet,
and here is the discouraging feature of
the situation, in an interview publish
ed in the Courier of Friday, July II,
Mr.. Reese said:
81 know, and so does anyone else
who is acquainted with the conditions
which govern the miners union, that
if a majority of the votes cast at the
Indianapolis convention are in favor
of strike Iowa and all the other
states will be included and strike
cannot be averted in Iowa any more
than in any of the other localities"
District President Williams, of Mich
igan, at Wilkesbarre, Pa, on June 26
is reported to have said: IF the ma
jority of the delegates" referring to
the coming convention of July IT, ARE
of the belief that the life of the organ
ization is in danger, | would not be
Surprised if general strike was order
ed. All soft coal miners want to keep
their agreements. They fought for
them for years, but if it comes down
to a question of organization or agree
ments, the miners would not hesitate
to stand by the union"
While all of these officials sincerely
desire that there shall be no extension
of the strike to those states that are
working under agreements, yet we
have not seen single positive state
ment by any of them that there must
be no strike in such districts. The
mere suggestion of the possibility of
such a result if it becomes necessary
| to save the organization, and the at
tempt to justify such extension is, in
our opinion, and must be in the minds
of the general public indefensible.
The miners organization is today
the strongest organization in the coun-
try, is working under yearly agree
ments in majority of the largest
coal producing states of the Union and
with an enviable record of having al
ways stood by it's agreements Whatev.
ermay beth merits or the demands or
the results of the present struggle in
the anthracite fields, is it possible that
the thinking men in the organization
can be deluded with the idea that the
loss of the present strike will wreck
their organization in the districts
working under agreements, or that by
repudiating such agreements, even
4 though it should win the present
strike, a victory thus obtained will
:. save their organization? The results
flowing from the violation of a moral
law are just as inevitable and disas
trous as the consequences of the viola
4 ton of any other law and added mum
bers cannot condone the wrong OIL
ward off the punishment, which will
come, If in no other way, in lowering
of the moral tone of the members, a
/ Reputation Of such a course by the
better element, followed by a gradua
organization. Whatever may be the
decision of majority of the miners
in the national convention to be helt
at Indianapolis on July II, we are no
: ready to believe that the Iowa miners
will follow any decision which will re
suit in violation of the existing
!. yearly agreement.
!. For If an agreement can be violated
for one reason it can be for another
e hence the chief benefits gainet
h by the operators and miners through
h such agreements, to-wit: stability b.
t avoiding suspensions and strikes, ant
el which the operators have paid for il
T. increased cost of production, hay'
r proven hollow mockery, delusiol
L and a snare.
d Without any question or equivoca
S ton, the state miners organizations