Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-05-12
ORGANIZATION.
Interesting address BY John Peach
Much Enjoyed

OhGANIZAIION.
Interesting address BY John Peach
Much Enjoyed.
The POSTMASTER than introduced
John Peach, who responded to the
toast, Organization Mr.. Peach said
in part:
ut is one thing to believe in organf-
cation, and another thing to tell of it
for one unaccustomed to speaking in
ten minutes, the time allowed me for
my toast.
Men are realizing today as they
never realized before the splendid pos
sibflities that lie in the great bodies of
organized labor and fraternal organiza-
tons. l am satisfied that the Iowa
State Federation Is doing great work
and is proving in the most conclusive
manner the great power and benefit
OF organization. They have accom-
plished much, but far more remains 10
be done. 1t seems to me that more
great problems face the mass of the
people today than ever before. These
problems affect the masses and must
be settled by the laboring people and
the mass Of common citizens.
while do not advocate politics in
the lodge room or in an organization.
Of this kind, yet 1t does seem to me,
with movement like this, IL properly.
organized and wisely conducted, you
should be able to secure any proper
Legislation, that you should decide.
Il might speak of what benefit the
state federation has been to the clerks
of Ottumwa. Sixteen years ago pre-.
sided over the first meeting Of the
clerks Of Ottumwa. AT that time the
stores were open until 9 o'clock or 10
in the evening and Sunday trading
was common. We talked these mat
tiers over and the next Sunday the
clergy of the city took the matter up.
In few weeks our object was obtain
ed. Not long afterwards the present
clerks union was organized.
The Retail Merchants.
"As a member of the Retail Mer.
chants association want to speak of
1t for a moment. 1t was organized
short time ago, not for the purposes
of raising prices, but for correcting
abuses. Every day meant annoyance
and financial loss to the merchant
through abuses in the line of contribu-
tons, donations and indiscriminate
advertising. This is all done away
with now by the organization.
Another object was to reduce the
number of non-paying customers on
our books. realize that every man
cannot always meet his obligations.
but there are some who deliberately
neglect this matter. Yet there is no
man, who can afford to refuse to pay
his honestly contracted debts. One
reason for this Is, that in fifteen or
twenty years, there is hardly one of
you here but will be employers of Ia
Dor or proprietors of store or business
houses yourselves. Thit statement, as
"a general proposition has been
proven.
"The trades and labor movement
has accomplished much, it has Sc
cured lesser hours and better salaries.
But, however, desirable are lesser
hours, extra hours are Of no use I'M
less they are well used for mental i'm
provement. Nor are larger salaries
an unmixed blessing unless they are
properly and sanely spent and saved.
Read about the legislation Of your
own country and that of other coun-
tries. nave Deen surprised beyond
measure in reading about the laws Of
New Zealand In that realm strikes
are unknown, education is compulso-
~. At the age of 65 one may quit &C,
tive work and receive a pension from
the government on which to live, and
taxation Is more nearly equal in it's
application than elsewhere in the
world. Laboring men have framed
these laws, as nearly three-fourths of
the population is composed of work
ing people"