Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-05

N"St~
are self evident proof that we are fast
approaching an epoch in the history
of the trades union movement. that
the time honored and ~proverbial max
i'm, IAN injury to one, is the concern
of ALL" is a living reality and not a
myth.
As some skeptics would have us be-
lieye, much as | would like to dwell on
this matter, | must digress, rather than
burden our proceedings with a too
voluminous report.
Most Successful Year.
The year just closed has been in all
respects as successful as any previous
years and all that we could reasonably
hope for, and especially so when we
take into consideration the heavy bur
den incident to the ten per cent as
sessment levied on our membership
by our national convention in last
July.
History of New Market Strike.
Only in a single instance were we
compelled to inaugurate a strike in
order to enforce its collection. that be-
ing at New Market. A brief history is
hereby appended. During the summer
months or up to about the middle of
August last year, the miners of New
aL ~ uia u aseiase liole .lan
sixty per cent of the men were mem
bers of the union. The local union OF
this place, becoming alarmed at the
situation of affairs, were willing to
make a struggle to maintain their
standing and do their part in CARRYING
into nracticsI effect tho Fundamental
principles of our organization. The
tension and feeling between the union
and those who refused to pay the as
sessment was aggravated and intensi-
fed by one of the operators antago-
nizing our union at every opportunity.
Unfortunately, all the coal companies
had pooled their interests and were
doing business under one head. Among
the same operators there is one indi-
yidual who has since shown a friendly
attitude toward our organization. How
ever, to make the strike a success, his
employees were called out with the
others, the latter not then being a
member of the Operators association
caused us to take that course, feeling
assured that he in turn would assist
'9 - - lliioo hlhSh =
trant above referred to into line. Sub
sequent developments have revealed
the wisdom of our course.
The New Market local union after
having exhausted all of their re-
sources, We're supplied with some
$3.50 out of our state organization
funds and such is a brief history OF
the strike at New Market.
#.-.
Tbono hos -
sb,t downs 81 So - 49, ~
;na ~ nnosen+ - ~ -
INV naara 49, ~ =.
49,, ins+anaa. ma -
sponsibia Ill ~ -
naa,,ha,s 49, mhau,t ~ foo1 o"A
IT, ~ 81
tba 5000 80 Ill S;at.iats - :,
rarr nostIo.. ama fa. 80 81
tbra.tanad m;t ~ " 49, =
.IsaS - piuSniS' II
ever, by prompt action on the part of
your state officials, together with the
invaluable cooperation of the cooler
heads of our local unions, we succeed
ed in nipping the movement in its in
cipiency. Since that time the drivers
have given our organization compar.
atively little or no trouble on this line.
Invariably when some particular
operator complained OF his employees
shutting down his mine. we would en-.
close the letter of complaint to the
local union Interested. and ask them
to furnish our office with an explana.
ton from their standpoint feeling as
sured that like all other questions they
were %susceptible of an explanation
from the members of our local nm.
ions, SO involved. With hut two eycen.
tions. we invariably met with nrompt
and courteous resnonses viii re-,
frain for tha nresent from oiving ~.
names of The locals so otfandina9 and
wonld NOT mantion tbis mat+a. - 49,
time were If not for The resson tba4
7 feel lika so,ndina ! nate ~ utare 49, =
in lime 10 avoid any Observation-Disclosures
that miobt nossihln = asa.ieAes
tlra possibly aii90 ~ 'ne iu-'
incorporation or irades Unions.
Much has been said of late in re-
from the very men that have never