Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-06
Iowa Mine Workers Decide to
Establish a System of I'm
ion Stores
MAY EXTEND TO OTHER FIELDS
Stock to be Sold at s1o per Share and
No One Will be Allowed More Than
Ten shares-Good. to be Sold at Just
Profit Enough to Pay Expenses -
Plan May Become Popular.

Des Moines, March 6.-The most i'm
portant move made by the miners con-
yention yesterday was the adoption of a
resolution that the miners of Iowa es-
tabish a system of cooperative stores,
the stock of which shall be owned by
the members of the mine workers
union; no miner to be allowed to own
more than ten shares of the stock at $40
will thus be able to fight the company
stores, which they declare charge them
eNhorbitant prices for their goods and
in many instances they are compelled to
take company store orders when they
wish to purchase many articles they
use. They will seek TO have the stores
established in every miEing town in the
state and the goods sold from them
shall be sold only at q necessary profit
to enable them to do business. If this
movement meets with the success
which they anticipate, the members of
other trades unions in The state will be
invited to join with the miners in the
plan.
A resolution was also adopted, after a
lengthy debate. to establish a defense
fund in Iowa. The defense fund will be
created by the levy of an assessment Of
l per cent upon the gross earnings of
the miners. All members working on
the outside will be charged an assess
ment of so cents per month. The estab-
lishment of the defense fund by the
min ON Vt a n mr.
the tax voted, which will go into effect
en- Aug. 1. 1903, will by the time of the
assembling of the nsNt convention
create fund of about $4,000, which
is to be kept solely for defense purposes
in the state.
The fight on the proposition to in
crease the salaries of the state officials
was precipitated when the committee
OH officers reports came in with the
recommendation that this be done and
the debate upon the adoption Of the re-
port was bitter one. Several of the
delegates were opposed to the change
because they had come to the conven-
ton uninstructed upon that point. They
contended that the salaries could not be
increased without the matter being re-
ferred to the executive committee six
weeks before the assembling OF the con-
vention, this being a constitutional pro-
vision. The delegates In favor of the
increase of salaries promptly FOUND
way out Of this by suspending the con-
stitution and then voted for the reso-
luton. carrying it by very substan-
tial majority. In the course OF the de-
bate. Delegate Morgan reported that his
local had instructed its delegates toI
vote against allowing the secretary
treasurer u stenographer. This was
met with storm of dsnpproval and
ciinchetl matters for the stenographer.
The salaries of the officers will now be:
President, 500 month; secretary
treasurer, 500 month: vice president.
SIS month; auditors, $3.50 day:
board members, $3.50 q day; steno-
grapher. $50 month.
The resolution to have the mine
workers of Iowa affiliate with the iowa
State Federation OF Labor was adopted
without dissenting vote, and three
delegates were elected TO the state con-
yention, which meets in Davenport In.
June next. The delegates elected weral
Lawrence Love, Robert Cowan and
Frank Cameron. Alternates: Frank
L. Rice, James White and William
Baker.
The recommendation by President
Perry that the funds in the hands OF the
secretary treasurer be placed in two
banks, was adopted. 1t was ordered that
the secretary issue circular letter 10
the members in the state recommend
inr that they affiliate with the Fedora
tion az Labor, and objecting to locals
cutting work at any time in violation
of tha provisions of their agreement
WITH ,fhe operators unless ordered to do
&C by the executive board.