Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-10
Miners Decide to Increase Pay Of
District Officers.
ADOPT PLAN FOR DEFENSE FUND
Committee on Officers Reports Heard
by convention-Frank Cameron
Second District Member of Board
Speaks Before Delegates.

Dies Moines, March 6.-(Special.)-
The miners convention yesterday aft
ernoon decided upon raising the sal
aries of the officers, as, recommended
by the resolutions committee and men
toned in yesterdays Courier, decid-
ed to institute a defense fund for the
district, commencing August 1,1903,
heard and passed upon the report of
the committee on officers reports, APP
proved of the plan for establishing
cooperative stores to be owned by the
members of the various trades unions,
elected three delegates and three al
ternates to represent the district or
ganization at the annual convention Of
the Iowa state federation Of labor, to
be held in Davenport next May, and
cleared up most of the work of the
convention up to the reports of the
committees on constitution, scale and
appeals and grievances.
Vice President on Salary.
The latter part of the morning SEES
sion and the fore part of the afternoon
session were devoted to the discussion
of the question of officers salaries. In
~Sconnection with this question was that
: of putting the vice president of the
district organization upon a stated
imonthly salary. Several of the dele
fgates opposed this, but after it had
been explained by President Perry
THAT the best work would be secured
Eby following this plan instead of allow.
Eing the vice president only for the
slime he works, the convention voted to
kplace him on a salary. During the
idiscussion regarding the officers sal
saries William Cozad of Lost Creek oc.
cupied the chair.
Salary Question Settled.
! The matter Of raising the officers
Esalaries was discussed for more than
1.-TWO hours, and the section of the con
Estitution relating to this matter was
s~suspended during the morning SEES
ksion by a roll call vote. During the
E~afternoon session the following sched-
in1e, which had been reported favor
ably by the resolution committee, was
adopted, and the constitution commit
flee was instructed to include it in its
Gommittee report:
President-$100 per month.
Vice president-$75 per month.
neutrality-suspicious. per month
Sub-district board members and au'
tditors-$3.50 per day when working
Fin the interests of the organization.
/ Stenographer in district office-$5C
aper month.
The Defense Fund.
On August 1, a scheme will go init
effect all over the district which viii
kresult in the establishment of a relic
r3und, to be deposited in some respon
Eeible bank by the secretary-treasurel
f2nd to be used for the benefit of thu
organization in case of strikes, lock
outs, etc. Although the members of tn,
miners union do not anticipate an.
such trouble as will necessitate
strike, they believe that in order t.
conduct their affairs after the fashion
kof a safe business institution, the,
kshould prepare for trouble in time
sSwhen it looks the least probable. Will
Fthat idea in mind they have decided I,
e%establtsh the defense. fund. Although
all the members were highly in favo
of taking such action, they We're divid
ed considerably over the question a
to how it should be secured.
President Perry, in his report to tn
convention recommended that the dc
tense fund should be made up of NOR
hey paid into the treasury OF the dis
: trlct organization, based upon the ne
kearnings of the miners. each mine
to devote one-half Of one per cent Q
his net earnings to this cause. TIL
committee on officers reports recon
Emended that the amount be one pc
scent of the gross earnings of the mir
ers of the district. After a length
How long will it take the man to fill
the sack if he does not stop tile leak