The Oskaloosa herald., 1910-10-06
WHITE REPLIES
TO EDWIN PERRY
President Of IS Takes Exception to
Published interview
PERRY CALLED HIM A GUTTER
Open Letter to His Former Colleague
and Lifelong Friends Interview
IN the indianapolis Sun Pub
Iished Sept. %, 1910.

ltSnea sept "a iSlVs 4aF
The following article appeared il
the indianapolis Sun of Sept. %, ant
has been copied extensively by th'
press of the country:
Edwin Perry, secretary-treasurel
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea, announced his intention Thursday
morning to bolt the ticket proposed
by his lifelong friend, John P.White
president of Iowa, and run for re-elec
ton in opposition to William Green
former president of Ohio, who j:
Whites candidate for secretary. Per
ry also intimated his intention of sup
porting 7. L. Lewis for reelection.
Eyes, l know that White has an
nounced his slate said Perry, il
speaking of the dispatches from Chi
cage, in which White announced that
he would oppose Lewis for the presi
dency, that Frank Hayes of Illinois
would stand for reelection and VIII
liam Green of Ohio would run for sec
Rotary.
Not only that, but they are try.
ing to make a slate for the other fel'
lows as well. know White: we are
members of the same local and ii was
at his suggestion that | became sec
Rotary in this organization. He is a
good man in many ways but he is a
gutter. If he had been obliged TO
stand for one day what Lewis was up
against throughout the last conven-
tiOn, he would have quit in disgust.
He was vice president at one time.
Why did he quit?
1t was suggested to me by a
Pittsburg leader some time ago that
/ should step down in favor of Green,
as 1t might affect the chances of the
ticket to have two men from the same
state on it. but could not see it that
way. AS for Lewis, think a thous-
and times more of him now than ever
before. He has been greatly ma
ligned. These men opposing him are
selfish in their motives, while Lewis
is striving to put this organization on
a more solid basis.
- i am not allied with any faction
and never have been. stand on my
own merits, and am sure that the
members of the organization will zap
preciate my work and my motives. l
reserve the right to criticize where
believe criticism necessary, just as
did in the last convention. 1t is my
duty to tell the members when the
organization is becoming too expens-
i've"
This statement from Perry is re-
garded as a complete turnover, as in
the last convention he made a spe-
cial report severely criticizing the
management of the organization and
il was his report that was made the
basis for many of the attacks on Lew
is that have since occurred. Perry
now says, however, that it was not
Lewis fault that the organization be-
came extravagant, as he was follow
ing the policy saddled upon him by
his predecessors.
Whites Reply.
The article quoted above from my
old-time friend and official colleague,
Edwin Perry, has been confirmed in
lette. received from him recently.
My friend has experienced quite
change of heart and makes it clear
that he proposes to support the pres
ent incumbent, T. l.. Lewis, which he
has a perfect right to do, irrespective
Of the ties that existed between him
and me.
II is very painful for one to chas-
tise an old friend and to brand as
false, as am compelled to do, some
OF the statements contained in this
interview. Secretary Perry states
that | announced a slate. This is alb
solutely untrue-I announced no ones
candidacy but my own. 1t is true
that | did everything in an honorable
way that | could to secure Secretary
Perry's election to the office that he
now holds, and it Is also true that
Secretary Perry has been a kind
friend and eo-worker of mine in all
the years that we were associated to-
gether. r.-
His report In the recent Special Ma
tionsl Convention revealed the fact
and left no doubt in the minds OF the
delegates that he was out Of harmony
with the policies OF his superior Off
Ger. but for some unaccountable reas-
on be has undergone change of
heart and believes that the Interna.
iional President is very much malign-
ed and he thinks thousand times
more OF him than heretofore.
Ny friend Perry makes it plain that
he Ia an admirer now OF the man that
few weeks ago he was very much
opposed to, and one can imagine how
strained the relations were when
Lewis threatened to eject him bodily
from his office.
The President OF District IL takes
no exception to Perry eulogizing the
international President. He has no
right 70 censure him for fawning at
the feet Of his superior officer. Perry
may consider 1t an right to charge me
with being "Quitter," but | would
have thought some one having a
greater license than he would be dele
gated with such specie of"mud sling.
ing n Che cordial relations and ties
81 good Fellowship can be- broken With.