Ottumwa semi-weekly courier., 1903-06-16
MAKING PROGRESS.
Miners in Maryland District Are Loo.
ing Prejudices.


ing Prejudices.
From Thursdays Daily.
T. ]. Lewis, vice president of the
United Mine Workers of America writ
ing in yesterdays Mine Workers Jour.
nal gives the following report Of con- !.
ditions in the Maryland district, where
the trouble has been great during the
past year or more. The report will be-
OF special interest to Iowa miners:
The organization generally is maxi.
ing splendid progress In the Mary
land district many mine workers are
slow to affiliate with our union, while
many others are taking an active part
and assisting in the work of orgahiz-
ing
The present policy in Maryland and
the Meyersdale regions is to organize
the men, not to strike but for the pur-
pose of creating a better feeling be-
tween the mine workers and operators
in those sections of our country
| There is yet considerable prejudice
existing among the mine workers, but
lit is gradually being eliminated
through the active work of the nation
el organizers located in District 16.
| There is also some fear among the
| operators that their employees may re-
sort to some radical measures If they
are organized This fear on the part
of the operators should not exist. as
| both sides ought to realize that a bet
ter understanding ought to prevail in
order that peace and harmony should
take place among those engaged in,
the mining industry.
During the past week the local
strikes at the mines of the Merchants
Coal Company and the Continental
Coal company We're settled by the men
accepting 81 cents per ton for loading
run-of-mine coal at machines.
While in District 16 last week held
several meetings and found that there
is healthy growing sentiment in fav-
or of the United Mine Workers organ
ization.
The Pittsburg district hGs made splendid
progress this year. and has added about
| 10000 new members to the organization
| since the last annual convention.
| Central PENNSYLVANIA. District ., Is doing
| spenddly. and increasing the membership
very rapidly. with good prospects of thor
oughly organizing the entire district this
lyear.
1t will be interesting to orr thousands of
members to learn that the De Armitts, who
have always antagonized orr union, have
| again failed to successfully operate nom
union mines. They took charge of the man
agement of mines in the Butler-Mercer dis
trict of PENNSYLVANIA. with the avowed in
tention of operating those mines on nom
union basis.
President Doan and his official colleagues
of District 5 were determined that the De
Armitts would be compelled to operate
their mines on the same basis and under
the same conditions as other mines In that
vicinity. A strike was declared and carried
on with such complete success that Mr. De
Armitt gave up the fight and resigned his
position. Once more it has been demon
strated that there should be community
of interests between employer and employe
in the mining industry.
When the operators of this country fully
understand the real purpose of the United
Mine Workers organization, and its meth
ods of doing business. there will be no need
for any conflict between the operators and
mine workers.
When both sides to any dispute recognize
each others rights and try and concliate
their minds so that they can intelligently
discuss their differences, there will be no
> trouble in arriving at such conclusions as
will eliminate the possibility of any great
conflicts taking place in the mining indus
try of this country. Yours truly,
| II. T.. LEWIS.