Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-08
Iowa Miners Vice President En-
couraged by the Outlook.
AT CLARKsBURG, WEST VIRGINIA
Although There Are Many Difficulties
Which the Striking Anthracite Min
ers Are Compelled to Face, the Iowa
Man Thinks They Will Be Overcome.

Edwin Perry OF Oskaloosa, vice
president of the United Mine Workers
OF America, in this state, is at present
at Clarksburg, West Virginia, where,
he is observing the conditions with re-
gard to the strike of the anthracite
coal miners, and in letter to Joseph
F. Byrne of this city he resites some
conditions which exist in West Virgin
la, and which, were they to confront
the union miners of Iowa, would al.
most discourage them. Mr.. Perry
says that although there is state law
in West Virginia requiring that the
output of the miners be weighed at the
top of the shaft Immediately upon
coming out of the works, only thirteen
of the 400 mines in the state have
scales. Frank Cameron of Hiteman.
prominent young member of the Iowa
miners union, is also at Clarksburg
with Mr.. Perry.
Mr.. Perry, as vice-president of the
miners organization of Iowa, has an
insight into labor matters in this state
and in others, which is not enjoyed by
many, even though they are connected
with the union movement, and when
he is dismayed by the conditions
which confront the members of his
craft these conditions may be depend
ed upon to be of no little consequence.
However, he is very hopeful and says
that he is confident that at some time,
not far remote, all the difficulties will
be overcome.
Hopes for Victory.
Mr. Perry. in spite OF the obstacles
which are in the way of the miners of
West Virginia, has every hope for the
success of his brothers there. The
tone of his letter to Mr.. Byrne is that
of encouragement, and he says that,al-
though the forces which are working
against the strikers are strong and
supported by large amounts of money,
the help that is being given the miners
by their more fortunate fellow-work-
men in other states is making them
firm to withstand the opposition and
will eventually aid them in winning a
decisive victory.
Mr.. Perry, as is known by all with
whom he has ever had dealings, is
man of high morals and is bitterly OPP
posed to doing anything which he con-
siders in any light as being wrong. He
| SoloSl c1IifS W a uC5lSS oCSl III DuI
few men and never forms nor express
es an opinion until he has weighed the
facts. These things considered he
speaks volumes in defense of the min
ers of West Virginia and the justice of
their contention when he says that
they are right in their fight and that
he believes they will prevail in the
end.
Is Encouraged.
Mr.. Perry states that although the
conditions which exist in West Vir-
ginia are very bad and need much i'm
provement, they are not as bad as he
had expected to find them, judging
from reports he received from the
strike district before he went to
Clarksburg.
Will Not Extend West.
Mr.. Perry is strong in his opinion
that the strike in which the anthracite
miners of the east are engaged will
not extend to the western states. He
says, in the first place, that it would
not be justice to the miners of Iowa
and nearby states for the eastern un-
ion men to force a strike upon them
simply on the grounds of sympathy.
Although this would, no doubt, have
it's effect, Mr.. Perry thinks that the
object of the strike will be accom-
plished without any interference on
the part of the miners of this part of
the country and he is confident that
if the matter were brought to vote
the miners of Iowa would vote against
the proposition to strike in sympathy
with their eastern brothers; not be-
cause they have not that sympathy
but because the friction and the trou-
BILE that would be caused to all CON
cerned can be obviated in another and
better way than by striking.