The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-12-02
FRANK CAMERON, OF HITEMAN
The New Secretary of Iowa United
Mine Workers.

! By the recent election held by the
Iowa United Mine Workers in Des
Moines, Frank Cameron, of Hiteman
was chosen State Secretary, and Os
kaloosa thus gained splendid new
citizen. The Abba Republican says OF
the man and his election:
Frank Cameron. of Hiteman, who
was selected by the miners conven'
ton at Des Moines last week as the
secretary of the organization for this
district, is well known in Abba, but
there are few friends who know of
the struggles of the young man. And
those who know will congratulate
him on his selection and at the same
time will congratulate the organiza-
ton as having for one of its state Of
ficers one of the most popular of the
young miners in the county of Mon
roe.
Frank Cameron was born in Eng
land and made his first trip to the
land of his adoption in 1879, shortly
afterward returning to the old coun-
try and remaining until 1881, when
he again returned to the United States
first locating in Pennsylvania, and
then coming to what is known all
over the state as the old Cleveland
mines. In 1888 he came to Abba,
thence to Foster, and twelve years
ago he located at Hiteman. The first
touch of the American soil to his
feet caused him to become an Ameri-
can in every sense of the word, and he
was imbued with the great possibili-
ties that could come to him. 1t was
the land of promise to him. A green
and awkward boy direct from the old
country, lacking in the advantages of
the school room, but with heart as
He set about as a coal digger and to
this day ne has followed that yOca-
ton. 1t is few young men who are
called from the pit to the Office of
secretary treasurer of such an organ
ization as the United Mine Workers
of America In no other organization
does merit count for so much. Here
man must be proven to be worthy
and TO be willing. These necessary
qualifications had been found in the
nd hn ain
ty of the members of the organization
who were in attendance at the conven-
ton selected him to look after the
duties of one of their most important
offices. While Frank was away at
tending the convention there was a
little transaction going on down here
at his home that added to his pleas
ure. When he left Hiteman to attend
the convention he left wife and two
loving little sons. When, he returned
household. and to add further to the
happiness that had been heaped into
their cups the newborn was a daugh-
ter.
Frank is a member of the United
Mine Workers, of the loyal sort. He
has been reporting secretary of the
Hiteman local for several years. For
time he was shot firer in the Hite-
man mines, but for several months he
has been digging coal. The spare time
has not been spent in living that
brought no returns, but among good
books. good magazines and pursuing
the study of the organization of labor
along the channels that ayaileth much
for the men in whom he has always
been interested. A few short years
ago Mr. Cameron landed on the east
coast of America. practically penni-
less and among strangers Today he
holds an Office that is second in the
gift of the United Mine Workers of
America for this district and is es-
teened highly as a man and as help
er to all the members of that great
body Of organized labor. Truly a
remarkable record, and coming to a
deserving and honest toiler in the
mines and one for whom the people
of Monroe county have the greatest
respect and admiration"