Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-21

organization to demand better wages
and improved conditions of employ
ment.
Deprivation, Misrepresentation and
troops together were not sufficient tol
drive them into surrender. They stood
shoulder to shoulder to the last
Operators Forced to Arbitrate.
The operators declared that they
would have nothing to do with the
United Mineworkers of America, but
they have found it necessary to rec
ognize the power Of the United Mine
| workers, through you, Mr. President,
and to seek terms of peace which will
enable them to resume their business.
of mining and selling coal.
The recognition of our strength thus
! forced upon the operators by stern
necessity, we eXult over, not in any
narrow spirit, but because we believe
| it marks n forward step toward naw
era. Upon this foundation lai.i
J through war we are ready to join With
| them in building for better comb ions
! and a long and lasting peace. The
/ United Minewcrkers Of America, since
! it's organization in the anthracite field.
i has constantly sought to establish:
'Frst-Fair wages and just eoudi-
tons of labor. conditions just to both
operators. and miners. We have never
made demands beyond tho ability of
the industry to pay on a basis of equit-
able division of profits between labor
and capital.
Second AAmicable relations be-
tween employers and employees, the
latter speaking through tn cir organiza-
4 ton and their organization aiding the
companies in maintaining discipline,
adjusting all difficulties by conciliatory
methods, averting local strikes and
Flockouts, and securing stable and salts
/ factory conditions to the industry.
Union Proud of Its Record.
\ Our organization. by the same
methods which we have proposed here
has secured just such relations and
just such results in the coal fields OF
the country. Organization, like an in
divdual, must stand upon what it has
I done and the life it has lived. We in
vite scrutiny and investigation OF oul
record and character. In the soft coal
fields we have joint conferences with
the operators, and with them we ad'
4 just differences. We sign joint agree
ments, together We preserve discipline
settle disputes, and maintain harmony
and stability in the trade.
I'VE have asked the anthracite oper
ators to inquire of the soft coal oper
ators how well they are pleased with
their business relations with lis. wheth-
: er or not we keep agreements and rem
der satisfactory service for wages paic
to our members. One business mar
might thus learn of another what Is
/. the character of our organization.
, Many soft coal operators have pub
licly declared that they would not dis
Epense with our cooperation, and would
deem it a disaster if compelled to ge
: back to the chaotic conditions. which
existed when their labor was unor
ganized.
! Upon our past record we are will
I ling to stand or fall We have, time
/ and time again, invited the anthracite
! operators to adopt these business
8 methods and to deal with us on thi
basis. Despite repeated rebuffs W.
0 persisted, but they resented any at
r tempt upon our part to organize thei
: employees; they refused our overture
v for amicable discussion and possibl
satisfactory adjustment of wage diff
ferences in joint conference. They re
fused to have any dealings with thei
u employees except as individuals; the
S refused concessions and refused arb
), tration; they put their backs agains
: the wall of prejudice and their face
S arbitrarily against progress; the
$ thought themselves stronger than tn
y great union principle which is maxim
y such strides throughout the world
S the while combining their corpora
q tions and pooling their interests i
: hard and fast alliance they could den
/ the men who worked for them tn
9 right to organize and speak throug
g their organizations.
: Justified by False Plea.
When the Inevitable conflict cam
It on they attempted to justify them
e. selves upon the false plea that ours
X an irresponsible organization; whe
IS we demonstrated our responsibility
e and reliability they then asserted the
Is we were lawless organization whic
lie was dominating by Violence. Whe
society attempted to interfere to settl
Id the strike they declared their divin
10 ly, appointed right to be let alon
a. When representatives of national an
m state governments tried to mediai
k they resented such ,mediatinb by pol
r. tieians But, thanks to you NJ
irl President, and to the power of publ
irl opinion, they have been brought to
4 r.