Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-18
President Of United Mine
Workers Delivers an Adj
dress in Des Moines.
TALKS ABOUT H CRAFT
Enthusiastic Calls for Reese Follow
Latter Says Mine Run System Would
Not Be Incorporated in Next Years
Scale, Much to. His Regret.

Des Moines, March 15.-(Special.)-
Last evening several hundred people,
including not only miners but citizens
of Des Moines and their families, as
sembled at the Auditorium to hear the
national president of the miners I'M
ion, who, as President Reese said III
introducing him, has grown from a stu
dious boy, a poor miner, to n of the
highest and most honorable positions
in the country. Last evening was the
first time many in the audience had
heard Mr.. Mitchell, and although he is
not an orator none of his hearers were
disappointed. 1t is not the way John
Mitchell says a thing that carries with
it the Impression; it is what he says.
Every sentence carried a good whole
some truth, and every paragraph helps
him to make his point. He is a force
full, though not an eloquent speaker.
Introduced by Reese.
John P. Reese, president of the mi
ners' union in district No. 10, intro
duced President Mitchell, and as the
little man, who holds in the hollow of
his hand, as it were, the army of 300,-
600 miners in this country, stepped to
the front of the stage he was greeted
with deafening applause. He spoke
for only a few minutes owing to the
fact that he was not feeling we'll, but
what he said was well received.
Mr.. Mitchell said in part:
81 trust, fellow workers, that no one
will believe l am partial to the coal
miners of the west, or Indifferent to
those of the east, if l say that the mag
nificent growth and achievements of
the coal miners of the west have af-
forded me more pleasure and gratifica-
ton than any other one thing. Today
YOU can't work in the mines OF Iowa
unless you belong to the union. and
the coal operators of Iowa don't want
to employ you if you are a %non-union
man.
1.-THE United Mine Workers has
not only emancipatedt the miners them
selves, but has saved the operators
from bankruptcy. Since the United
Mine Workers assumed change OF the
miners not only have they %prospered
but the operators have prospered too.
Therefore l am not surprised that they
are glad to have us here.
But we must not be satisfied with
the record of the past. The future is
what we want to look to. The exam
ple we have learned in the past will
be sufficient deterrent to prevent us
from going back there again. | do
not believe that the United Mine
Workers has fulfilled it's mission on
earth yet. TIL organization intends
to go forward till every man who
mines coal, and every man dependent
upon the coal industry, will have TAX
en- the place among the citizens of our
country that his hardships and
his services so richly entitle
him to l can't conceive of
any one class of labor SO de-
serving of the good things of the
world as that which produces the or
iginal motive power that turns the
wheels of commerce and makes pos
sible our splendid civilization. And
vet. unfortunately, we are not recog-
nized among our fellow citizens and
the public in general as we deserve.
A Look Into the Future.
so l look into the future. and be.
lieve that it holds a brighter hope and
promise for the worker. | look for
ward to the time when strikes shall
be no more-not that we shall surren.
der our right to strike, but because it
will not be necessary. But when those
who toll have done all they can, and
have failed to get %peaceable redress
for their wrongs, they have a right tC
strike. The greatest forward steps
that the coal miners have eye made
were taken not on the field of indus
trial strife but in conference halls
where intelligence and mental GRASP
were the only weapons of the combat
ants"
Mr.. Reese Spoke Briefly.
Mr.. Mitchell closed amid a storm Of
applause and cries of Reset
"Reese!!" Mr.. Reese followed with g
brief talk, in which he stated that
much tt his regret, the mine run sys
tenn would not be incorporated in mex
years scale, but that he believed there
would be Included provisions for a uni
form day wage and for shot-firers ant
examiners. He in turn was succeed
ed by John P. White of Oskaloosa, sec
retary-treasurer, who was introduced
as "The Napoleon of Finance AID
dresses by John F. Ream, of Beacon
national board member. and Vice-Pres
ident Edwin Perry, OF. Oskaloosa, clos
ed the evening.
Jasper Wants to Be Transferred.
Des Moines, March ESPECIALLY D
The operators have asked that Jaspe
county be transferred from the thir'
TO the second sub-district which thi
morning caused a discussion but final
ly the request was withdrawn. Room
turning in the third district was no
settled at noon. The committee al
journed until Monday but sub.commit
tees are working on the top scale il
the second district and dead work il
the first district. w. H. Powell.