Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-09-07
LABOR DAY WAS MADE A HAPPY
OCCASION TO THOUSANDS IN
oTTUMWA YESTERDAY.
MITCHELL WAS HEARD
Honored Leader Of Labor's Cause
Spoke on Debt Owing to Workers
From Employers and Society
-Kepford Talked.

/ 10 LuOuSClIluS VI OtIuA W 0AA0 OkAAA ASCA
| dents OF Abba. Oskaloosa and numer
| GUS other nearby cities, who came here
where the central celebration OF the
southeast portion OF the state was
held. The coming up Of violent wine
storm followed by light rain, did 1T
utmost to dampen the ardor of the as
sembled laboring people and their fam
lilies, but the spirit that makes the
strengthen unions, prevailed and the
crowd as q whole with but little excep
ton, remained through the storm and
within the protection of umbrellas
coats and under trees and stands
about Caldwell park, drinking in the
words that dropped from the lips OF
John Mitchell, the man they revere sc
highly and waited ur Ill the afternoon
program was finished before leaving
the park.
Stayed for Evening.
Nor did all leave the park at the
conclusion of the afternoon program
Instead there were majority Of the
people taking their suppers about the
park in picnic groups and at the va
rious concession stands, where eat
ables were to be had In plenty. Part
of the afternoon program, that much
dealing with the vaudeville perform
ance that was to be given on the
stage erected for that purpose, was cut
out on account of the bad weather IN
terferiEg with the earlier part of the
program, but at night 1t was given as
per program. Band music filled the
air from no less than five bands, and
selections of the classical, intermln-
gled with the popular class of music
and no disappointment was suffered
by the melody lovers during the day or
evening. The Fifty-fourth regiment,
Oskaloosa, Abba, Buxton and Brazil
bands Wed in filling the air with
music
Everybody Was Happy.
Everyone went out for good time.
and took literally the words Of vel
come extended by Mayor S. H. Harper
when the city's chief executive ten
dered the keys of the city to the visi-
tors generally. The use made of the
welcome makes the local organizations
and others present hope that 1t will
again be Otumwa's pleasure to have
the celebration here soon. The gath
ering afforded q means to many that
lldu uOL SSSu SdSA OIACA Iva yCeSAo w
again meet and exchange greetings,
and in this it proved a happy event to
many present. All seemed full of the
spirit OF good fellowship and nothing
took place to mar the happiness that
could In any way reflect on those In
charge, or the persons participating in
the annual celebration of working peo-
ple's national holiday.
The management in charge OF the
festivities did themselves credit and
the Labor Day celebration at Ottum.
wa yesterday will be remembered by
the many from without, as we'll as
within the city, for many years to
come The one object seemed to be to
please the people and the workers held
forth yesterday In celebration that
gave unstinted pleasure to the null.
titudes.
The Introductory Speeches.
w. G. Minnick as chairman of the
day introduced Mayor S. H. Harper,
who rendered hearty welcome to all
and spoke for short time on the pro-
gress OF labor within the past eighty
years in this country.
Closing he eulogized John Mitchell
and urged the laboring people to fol-
low the advice Of Mr.. Mitchell, telling
them they would not go wrong If they
did.
Chairman Minnick then introduced
William H. Rodgers, president Of Dis
trict No. IS, U. M. w. of A.. who IN
pretty eulogy Of the speaker Of the
day, with whom he said that he had
worked for number Of years and en-
joyed the fullest confidence in and
highest respect for, closed his remarks
by introducing John Mitchell. the for.
mer president Of the U. NJ. w. of A. An
ovation was given the we'll known
labor leader and selection by the
Brazil band, interspersed the introduc.
ton and the address of Mr.. Mitchell. 1t
was then that the wind storm proved
it's worst and for time 1t threatened
the festivities with closing for the at.
ternoon. However, after little wait
during which another selection was
played by the band, Mr.. Mitchell took
up the subject of "Employers' Liability
ands Workmen's Compensation" The
address was full Of meat to the student
oil labor problems and was filled with
the fire animating this most popular
labor leader of modern times. Strong
and impressive, he was never Of the
loud or boisterous type and in his quiet
and convincing style Of argument, dis.
cussed with burning zeal the problem
of saving the working class from acct
dent and casualty, and indemnifying
him or her when accident happened. He
Gid not berate the rich or tear down
what they builded; on the contrary in
quiet, forceful but dispassionate
manner he told how they could do bet
ter than they do by their employed. He
said that the cost of killing the work
men is less than the liability, and that
this was one of, If not the strongest,
elements against which the workmen
have to contend in securing safer
working conditions.
Urged Safer Methods.
In the course of his address he
made the statement, from statistics,
that more than 100 persons employed
in the American industries are In
jured, manned or killed each day Of
the year; that the workmen daily face
death in some form and should not
have to purchase the necessities of