The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1911-04-20
MUsCAT|NE QUIET
TROOPS GO HOME
Military Control OF The City Came
To An End Last Night
THE STRIKE STILL CONTINUES
Manufacturers Submit Proposition,
and Executive Board of the But.
ton Workers Union Have il
Under Consideration.


y Z
Muscatine, Ia, April 1S.-Special:
There was great rejoicing among the
three thousand union laborers of the
button industry here today when il
became known that the employers
had acceded to practically every de
mand of the strikers, and after seven
weeks of a lockout the strikers have
won. The employers have recognized
the union and concede the employees
the right to organize. They also give
the. employees the right to watch the
counting and the weighing of the but.
tons and agree to a grievance com.
mittee into whose hands will be
placed any future complaints or diff.
ferences. There is a mass of detail
to be worked out in the agreement
and this will require several days,
The employees will probably not re.
turn to work before next week.
Muscatine, April 19.-Special: All
was quiet at Muscatine last night
but the strike still continues. The
troops left for their home stations
today.
The entire force of the militia,
which has been in charge here since
last Friday. following the rioting of
Thursday night, was withdrawn late
last evening following a conference
between Sheriff Vannatta and Adiu.
tant General Logan.
The soldiers started leaving the
city shortly after the order was is
sued. Company B of Davenport, Com
pany | of Iowa City and Company d
of Washington departed on early
trains this morning, leaving only
Company C of the national guard
battalion and the county authorities
to cope with any emergency which
may arise.
With the evacuation of the city by
the militia, responsibility for the con.
troll of the situation reverts once
more to the shoulders of Sheriff Dav-
troops also operates to remove the
restrictions which Obtained under
Adjutant General Logan and the semi
NATAL law for the government of the
city which he inaugurated.
Some fear was expressed last even
ing following the withdrawal of tn
troops that rioting might again en-
sue, but the quiet condition of the
city all night proved that it was I'M
grounded. The departure of the troops
cation of i'll feeling on the part of the
strikers and there has been no di5Or.
der since that time.
State Labor Commissioner Van
Duyn spent the entire day yesterday
presenting to the manufacturers a
tentative agreement for a settlement
submitted by the strikers and the
entire afternoon was spent by the
factory owners association in confer
ence in consideration of the propos
ais made.
Late last night proposition which
is understood to contain marked con-
cessions to the strikers, was present
ed to the executive board of the but
ton workers union by the manufaC-
turers, through State Labor Commits
sioner Van Duyn.
The executive board met following
the receipt of the proposal and is
still considering it.
The exact nature of the proposal
is unknown, but saliant feature Is
the dropping Of the union matter. A
manufacturer stated last night that
he was willing to take back all for
mer employees. irrespective of union
affiliations, and if the manufacturers
plan Is adopted by the strikers, indi-
vdiual manufacturers will meet with
their workers to arrange matters of
wages and time.
H. w. Huttig, president of the Man.
ufacturers' association, is optimistic
Things look favorable for a settle
ment within the next day or two
he stated.
The situation has apparently resolV-
mediate settlement of complete
shut down of the button industry
here for an indefinite period. The
manufacturers are reported to have
been ready to issue the order for sus-
pension of work last night, but nave
withheld the announcement pending
the outcome of to-day's negotiations.
Citizens here feel keenly the loss
which would ensue to the city should
such action be taken and also lear
that should work be shut down
number of the factories would not
again resume operations. but rather
accept the offers which have already
been made for the removal OF the in
dustry to other cities.
Business men feel that the prosper
ity of the city for the next decade
hangs in the balance and are using
their utmost endeavors to promote a
settlement.