Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-08-06
CRAFTS in UNIFORM
DETAILS OF LABOR DAY cELE,
RRATioN BEING SETTLED.
IOWA UNIONS WATCHING OTrUMWA

Henry White of the Garment Work.
ers of New York to Deliver
an Address-Reports of Trouble In
American Federation Not Reliable.
(The matter in this column is fur
nished by officers Of the Ottumwa
! Trades and Labor Assembly,
1 AS Labor day approaches the labor
unions Of the city become more enthu-
siastic in making the celebration a
great success. A large proportion of
| the unions met in Labor hall last week
and decided to don uni
forms for the occasion and
enter the contest for the best
uniformed craft in the line. There re-
main as yet but few unions to make
their decision in regard to the uniform.
| ing of their craft. Chief Marshal j. F.
| Stevens reports hundreds of applical
lions for positions in the line.
AT the meeting next Wednesday
evening, August ~, the unions will
draw by lot for positions in the line of
march, SO that it will be necessary for
each organization to be present upon
that occasion. President John w.
Kitto, of the Trades and Labor assem-
bly, has been made president of the
| day. The line of march will also be
settled upon at the next meeting of the
assembly. The several subcommittee
of the general Labor day committee
have about concluded their duties and
1t is expected tina majority report
will be handed in at the next meeting
of the assembly.
Another Prominent Speaker.
With the addition of Henry White
of New York City, general secretary
of the United Garment Workers, OF
tumwa will have the most prominent
labor leaders in the United States to
make addresses on Labor day. The
committee has already engaged two
bands for the entire day and are
making arrangements for two more.
| Ottumwa will probably have the
greatest Labor Gay celebration in the
state, and the trades unionists of Iowa
are watching the event in Ottumwa
| in anticipation of celebrating in this
city. Posters and advertising matter
are being sent into all the adjacent
cities and nothing is being left I'M
done to make the event great sue
I cess.
Samuel Gempers and John Mitchell.
/ A local labor leader in speaking of
the alleged efforts being made to de-
pose President Gompers, said
1.-THE newspaper reports sent out
| from Chicago Of antagonism against
| President Gompers Eof the American
| Federation of Labor are far from re-
liable. The real facts in the case are
that a, few trades unions in the city
of Chicago imagine that the whole
movement in the. country rests upon
their shoulders and have for a number
of years been antagonizing the con-
sentative policy of the president OF the
American Federation of Labor.
| previous to the convention of that
organization every year they rush in
to the newspapers with dissensions on
the executive board. To those who
know the friendly feeling existing be-
/ tween Samuel Gompers and John
MITCHELL such reports carry no weight
| The fact is that John Mithcell is too
honorable man to enter secretly in
to any combination to defeat President
| Gompers.
Could Not Spare Mitchell.
Another side of the question is that
the miners of this country would abb
solutely refuse to dispense with the
services of Mr.. Mitchell as their ma
| tional head. These two men are the
bulwark of the trades union movement
| in this country if not in the world and
| the trades union movement can not
afford to dispense with the services
of either. The report given the Chi
cago papers by Albert Young, presi-
dent of the national team drivers
union displays a great amount of nerve
inasmuch as Mr.. Young's organization
is not affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor, but is a dual or
ganization of the international team
drivers association which is affiliated
with the American Federation. When
the ballots are counted at the conven-
ton in Boston in December they will
show as they have in past elections,
that President Gompers has been re-
elected president Of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor"
Blacksmiths.
The blacksmiths have made all ar.
rangements for participation in the
Labor day celebration and they will
be uniformed, wearing brown apron,
Thrown caps, black shirts and white
ties.
Painters and Decorators.
The painters and decorators will
meet in regular session in Labor hall
on Friday evening, Upon which oc-
casion they will decide upon the
uniform to be worn on Labor day.
All members are urgently urged to be
present so that final action may be
taken in this matter.
Four New Organizations.
Beginning with the month of Au-
gust four new organization will be
affiliated with the Trades and Labor
Assembly, the ice wagon drivers and
assistants, the brotherhood Of sta
tionary firemen, the bookkeepers and
bootblacks.