Ottumwa semi-weekly courier., 1903-05-14
PRESIDENT HOLDERS REPORT.

PRESIDENT HOLDERS REPORT.
Recounts the Success of the State Or
ganization During the Year.
President A. E. Holder, in his annual
report made to the convention yester-
day afternoon recounted the works
that has been done by the state orga-
nization during the past year. He
said:
TO the Eleventh Annual Convention
of the Iowa State Federation OF Labor,
Officers and Delegates Assembled:
Another prosperous years has pass
ed and the time has arrived for us
to review the work which has been at
tempted, duties attended to, and make
additional plans for the future.
Allow me at this time to render you
and account of my activities trusting
I may not tresspass upon the domain
of other officers and hoping this report
| may meet with your approval. On
| May IL, Immediately after the closing
of the convention | appointed Carl Ev-
ans of Muscatine as deputy organizer
| for the state, with instructions to pro-
ceed to Davenport first and organize
that city. He remained there week
resigning on the 25th.
May 10, through Deputy Organizer
John Caldwell of Seymour ordered
/ charter for a federal union at Cory
don.
! May "a Called to Fort Dodge by
gypsum workers to assist in outlining
new scale and agreement.
June 2. Engaged T. P. Mention Of
Boone to work in the interest OF the
state federation in conjunction will
the Retail Clerks International asso
| citation, and the laborer's union, ,arrang
ing to pay him pro-ratio of expense, OF
$45 per month until such time as the
returns came in from the referendum
which was ordered by the Cedar Rap
ids convention on the question OF per
manent state organizer.
June 4. Assisted metal trades o
4 Des Moines in securing renewal OF thu
. shorter day agreement with other con
ditions, seven shops signed without OBJ
lection, but strikes resulted in five
shops, ihree of which were settled il
two days, one in two weeks and on
was lost The latter shop has sine
!, conceded union hours to their non
union employees.
/ June 16. Sent Roy E. Combs of De:
: Moines to Burlington to assist in OF
ganizing the metal trades Of that city
;, While he did not actually succeed a
. that time, the work then accomplished
!, with the valuable help accorded hin
by Vice President Jaeger has since
8 resulted in organizing these crafts no
only in that city but at Centerville an,
Creston.
S June q to 81. In conjunction witt
the president Of the Des Moines Trade
= assisted the telephone operators an
). linemen of that city to obtain improve
conditions and living wage. All pre-
:, vious attempts at conciliation ha
d been spurned by the officials of tn
/. companies, necessitating strike
k which lasted three weeks with tn
r mutual company and six months wit
l. the Iowa company.
July i. Went to Waterloo at the il
t.. stance of the Machinists' Interni
= tional union. whose members there ha
81 been refused recognition, an advanc
X in scale or reduction in hours. r.
% suit was that a strike ensued whlc
81 has not yet been settled.
: On recommendation of the Waterlc
: central body We're recommended j.
;, Hawkins and A. M. Larsen as distrit
organizers to President Gompers.
! July Z. Called to Ottumwa by tt
] trades assembly to assist metal trade
to secure an advance in wages; su
ceeded in obtaining ten per cent.
July s. Visited the president al
general manager of the Iowa Tel
phone company at Davenport; held
extended conference over the stu
. | tion at Des Moines and other poin
in the state, resulting in an amlcah
: | arrangement being made for the COZ
! pany's officials to meet the advise
: committee of the Des Moines Trad
/ Assembly, who had been placed
charge of the dispute by the operate
. the electrical workers and the trad
2 assembly.
. July II. Visited Davenport in co
pany with a national officer or the ell
S trical workers at the request OF
4 4 advisory committee of the Des MON
: Trades Assembly, in the interestol I
> striking employees of the. iowa re
c phone company.
July A. Issued circulars to cent
4 bodies in state for financial and mo
assistance for the telephone operate
on strike i'll Des Moines.
A. J,,lv Ok n Raauostad Inv The Gee