Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-24
Held RESPONSIBLE Positions.

labor were discussed in a masterfult
manner.
Held Responsible Positions.
Mr. Kent has earned national rep
utation not only within his own broth |
erhood, but in all the large field of or
ganized labor. He has filled many
responsible positions in the labor
world and was one of the two rep-I
resentatives sent few years ago toI
the British Trades Union Congress.
which was held at Huntersfield In
Yorkshire. Mr.. Kent, was for four
years state labor commissioner for Ne
braska, and was for some time men,
Der Of the board Of education in Lin
coin, his home town. He was also
secretary of the general executive
board of the Brotherhood of Carpen-
tiers and Joiners for several years.
Heard Here Before.
A short time ago, Mr.. Kent address
ed meeting of the local brotherhood
at Labor hall and all who listened to
! his address at that time were so
pleased that an endeavor was made to
have him return to this city and make
public address. The lecture last eve
ming was the result. W. R. Lanning
secretary of the local brotherhood of
carpenters and joiners introduced the
speaker in a few well chosen words,
who spoke in part as follows:
Mr.. kent's Address.
Ladies and gentlemen: l assure
you that it is with pleasure that l
greet this audience assembled here
this evening. Usually, l am talking
to wage workers, this evening l per-
ceive am talking to an audience in
which are many who are without the
ranks of the wage worker. / am glad
that there are so many of you interest
ed in this the. greatest question Of
these modern times
Opened the Peoples Eyes.
There are many who think the la
sbor question is only class question
and OF interest only to those who are
directly interested, and as result
many had grown to show little inter-
est in The movement. In the past
year, however, the great struggle be-
tween the miners and the mine own
& ers in Pennsylvania has opened the
eyes of many of these people and
they nave become interested because
of the fact that they were inconveni-
enced during and after the settlement
of the difficulty. Then it was that the
President of this, the greatest nation
on earth was seen to take hand
p and to demand that both sides pre-
sent their side of the disagreement to
the commission.
Condition of Coal Workers.
eve found that there were mistakes
on both sides, and bounds were over.
stepped We can find excellent rea.
sons to account for the miners over.
stepping the bounds. When we learn
the condition of these workers we are
bound to wonder how they were sc
long held in restraint, owing to the
Eardships and injustices they were
forced to endure.
World Has Scoffed at Labor.
"The world has scoffed at the labor
movement and sneered at the social
ed agitators, but the time will come
when everyone will realize what the
leaders of these grand organizations
have done to uplift their fellow men
II the labor movement does no more
than 70 produce such leaders as join
Mitchell, who was brought up in the
mines and without education proved
his ability to cope with the brainy mel
of The country in the settlement OF the
coal strike, it will have done a grea
good and should be honored for it.
To Uplift Laborers.
"The labor question is not new, tn
struggles of the workers for bette
conditions is perhaps new, but TIL
struggle of the men who toiled wit
their hands dates back to the oil
countries In olden times that ma
that labored with his hands was deem
ed less fortunate than the man VIII
could boast that neither he nor his al
cestors had labored with their hand:
Even today there is a feeling in tn
hearts of many workers that they ar
not as good as the men who are nc
compelled to labor with their hands
1t is my friends the purpose OF thi
great movement to dissipate this ide
and TO place the workers on their prt
per plane; that they may assert the
sovereignty and maintain their propt
sphere in the world.