Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-30

In an impassioned address in which
she sought to show the evils of the in
junction, Mother Jones, the woman
trades unionist and socialist appealed
to the miners and citizens of Hiteman
Saturday afternoon to elect John P.
Reese to congress, in order that he
might introduce a bill taking from
the federal courts the right to issue
the injunction. She cited the effect
the ''one-man instrument" as she call
ed it, has had upon the strikers in
the West Virginia coal fields, and
stated that the strike would not have
lasted more than two weeks if it had
not been for the injunction. short
address was made by John P. Reese,
who was chairman of the meeting,
prior to Mother Jones' speech.
| In Introducing Mother Jones to the
audience Mr.. Reese took occasion to
thank the people of Hiteman and the
members of the local miners union
especially for the support they have
given him during his term as presi-
dent of the district miners organiza-
ton, from which he is about to retire
! in order to commence his fight
against Hon. John F. Lacey for the
| election to congress to represent the
sixth district of Iowa.
| Mother Jones is an avowed social
| ist She points to the great day which
she says is surely approaching, when
the laboring millions shall rise in
! their might and claim just share of
the riches which they have produced
and turned over to their employers.
She says that conditions are leading
up to a great climax. Her speech,
which had much to do with the evils
which she claimed were caus--
ed by the injunction, ended
with long appeal for support for Mr.
Reese in his candidacy
Mr. Reese Talks.
The meeting was to have been a
part of the picnic planned by the peo-
\ pie of Hiteman, to take the place OF a
Labor Day celebration, but owing to
the Indictment weather the big event
was declared off. However, the peo-
pie were not to be cheated out OF an
address by Mother Jones, and conse-
quently they held a meeting at the
4 opera house in Hiteman in the after
noon. The first address was by John
p. White, of Oskaloosa, secretary
treasurer of the district organization
of the United Mine Workers. During
his speech Mr.. Reese and Mother
Jones arrived.
James Baxter, of Hiteman. was tenn
porary chairman of the meeting, and
at the completion of Mr. Whites
speech he introduced John P. Reese
as the permanent chairman. Mr.
Reese took charge of the meeting, and
addressing his former associates, the
residents of the town where he resided
as coal miner a few years ago, and
from which he went to take his posi-
ton as president of the district min,
ers' union, said:
Ladies and Gentlemen - Fellow
Workmen:- IL am glad to have the hon
or of presiding at this meeting, and
shall not abuse your patience by max
ing long speech when | know that
you are anxious to hear the principal
speaker of the afternoon. However,
want to take few minutes to tell you
of some things which | cannot help
but remember at this time. This room
in which we are now gathered is the
same room in which the meeting was
held which named the committee
which called the meeting for the pur
pose of organizing the miners Of lowe
into a branch of the United Mine
Workers of America. Here the first
local union of that state organization
was formed, and here the obligations
were administered to the first mem
bers of the union by the first district
officer. If ! may be pardoned fol-
making a personal reference, here is
the place where | took my obligation
and became a full-hedged member o.
the organization, and here for severa
years the charter of the Mine Workers
has hung, the backbone, as it were, o
, the state organization.
Thanks Hiteman.
This afternoon on the eve of my re
tirement from the Office to which YOU
, have elevated me, for had it not beel
i for your hearty cooperation and SUI
port | would never have reached tn
, position in the organization which
now hold, want to take this oppol
tunity to express my thanks to you TO
what you have done for me, for tn
} sincere support you have given me.
have been honored more singularl
than any other miner of my age, ant
4 | thank you, miners of Hiteman, TO
}. the many honors which have been be