Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-31
TO SOLICIT FUNDS
Ottumwa Trade Unionists Will Aid
Striking Miners.
TO HELP LOCAL MEMBERS OF U.M.W.A.
Movement Will be Started Soon to
Collect Money to Send to Eastern
Miners-Much Activity in Labor
Circles.

[From Wednesdays Daily.I
1.-THE matter published in this col
umn is furnished by the officers of the
Federation of Labor.l
A movement will soon be started in
this city by the members of the United
Mine Workers of America and other
local unionists, to solicit funds for
the striking miners in the east. A
thorough canvass will be made and it
is thought that large sum of money
can be obtained to assist in the cause
of the eastern miners.
The Anthracite Strike.
The decision of the miners at the
national convention of the United Mine
Workers recently held at Indianapolis,
Ind, IN regard to the plans laid out
OF carrying on successful strike in
that field seems to have met with I'M
bounded success. Funds have been
pouring to the national headquarters
for the support Of the strikers, most
OF which has come from the local
unions of the miners themselves in
this country. The balance of the trades
union movement will begin sending in
their contribution Immediately after
the first of the month when most Of
the local unions will hold their regu-
lar meetings. Very little so far has
been contributed by the business men
of the country, and all that has been
contributed was voluntarily done. as
no organized effort of solicitation has
yet been put in force. The strike will
surely be successful If the miners but
get financial aid sufficient for the me-
cessities of life.
In Municipal Affairs.
President Samuel P. Gompers, of the
American Federation of Labor, in re-
gard to the important part played by
trade unionists in municipal affairs,
says:
/ "The election of workmen to the Of
lice OF mayor in several large cities
has aroused considerable interest,
and suggested the question of how far
this movement will extend to other 10.
calities and to what branches of our
municipal, state and national govern
ments. The question is also pcopound-
ed as to the purpose of these move
ments on the part OF workmen, as
the ability and qualifications of the
officers selected to fulfill the duties re
quired, and what the economic, polite.
al and social result may be.
The very fact that workmen recent.
ly have to a considerable extent, di
rected THEW attention to the election
OF mayors of cities, shows that the idea
OF the mayor In the city, the governo.
in the state, and the President of the
United States, is regarded as the dom
inant and all-important factor in gov
eminent. The common council. tht
state legislature and the federal con
gress, though the law-making powers
have come to be regarded as secondary
OR subordinate.
Perhaps the greatest ill from which
the political morals of our country sui
fers is the domination of the pol;tica
boss, who, in turn, dominates the polit
ical party.
1t is one of the causes of the great
est dangers to the political future o.
our country that the people have no
the opportunity to register their opin
ion of each particular measure or prn
ciple for which political party stands
There is scarcely campaign but wha
voters find themselves in the position
of favoring several planks in the plat
form of the party opposed to them
The successful party in the campaign
assumes the verdict of the people al
an Endorsement of it's entire platform
Under this system people are supposed
to choose the lesser of two evils. l
is this party domination which il
harmful, where the people must en-
dorse or reject a platform concoctet
by the party bosses, Notwithstanding
it's incongruities, inconsistencies, ant
the trreconciliable and contradictor
propositions which it may contain.
1t was with view Of curing thi
: evil and eliminating this very LANCE
that the American Federation of La
Dor, more than quarter of centur
ago, declared and still strives for tn
introduction of the principle of the in
itiatiye and referendum in our publ
affairs.
The corrupting and dominating inhu
ence of the corporations over the act
2 of so many of our officials; the unfai!
: ness with which they have so ofte
: treated workmen, the almost invarii
BILE susceptibility of officers to the G
: rection and influence of the party boss
the assumption of lawyers and thei
: kind that, they, and they alone, Eay
: special fitness to administer public a
1 fairs; the action of some of the court
3 in arbitrarily, summarily and withol
! trial sending innocent workmen {
: prison under the injunction procedure
the general utter incapacity of tn
e average public official. either to III
derstand and undertake an earnest e
!. fort of tangible, municipal and soci,
D reform-are some of the causes whic
q have, brought this desire of the worl
e men to elect representatives frol
s their own ranks to fill public pos
tons"
The Local Uniosn.
The Allied Metal Mechanics hel
their regular meeting at Labor Ha
: Monday night. Quite few member
were admitted. This organizatio
promises to be one of the largest
\ the city and no doubt will make
showing for itself before it is a yea
old.
"A Brotherhood of BIacksmiths.
t The Blacksmiths had an open NEE
g ing at Labor Hall Thursday evenin
e which was attended by a great man