The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-06-26
WEST VIRGINIA
MINING TROUBLE
CONSTITUTION OF U. s. AND THE
STATE ARE SET ASIDE.
HAPPENINGS IN WASHINGTON
Scramble for the Post Office at Mar
ion Develops into a Nasty Fight
-95 Per Cent of California
Insurgents Returning.


disbelieVe the press reports of occur
rences which have been taking place
in West Virginia as a result of the
troubles between the coal miners and
the operators of the mines, but the
situation could hardly be painted in
worse colors than 1t really Is, was
statement made by James A. Dewitt,
OF Oskaloosa, la, general counsel for
the United Mine Workers Association
OF America, who was in Washington
For instance" said Mr.. Dewitt, lit
was openly claimed under oath by
state officers of West Virginia that
the governor of the state might de-
clare martial law whenever he should
think such a declaration necessary;
that when martial law is declared
that declaration suspended the consti
tuition of the state of West Virginia;
that a military commission had the
authority to try any citizen of the
state without a jury and without right
Of appeal and to inf1ict any punish
ment il might see fit; that this mill.
tary commission had the authority,
and in fact, exercised 1t, to send men
TO the penitentiary for otfenses which,
under the civil law, were punishable
this act of the governor in declaring
martial law and the exercise of this
authority by the commission could not
be reviewed by any court or tribunal
of the state or nation; and mat all of
this could be done in a country at a
time when the civil courts were open
and in operation and not being dis
turbed in any manner"
10 or
Washington from West Virginia by
John P. White, of Oskaloosa, who is
president of United Mine Workers OF
America, and his seventeen associates
in the organization who are under in
dictment by the federal grand Jury
at Charleston for a violation OF the
Siberian antitrust act in seeking to
organize the miners for the purpose of
getting their wages raised.
The entire delegation, headed by Mr.
Dewitt, called at the department of
justice, where Mr. Dewitt made a
Virginia to Attorney General Mercy.
nolds, who eyinced great interest. Fol.
lowing this interview the delegates
to the department of labor, where Mr,
Dewitt made to Secretary Wilson a
labor situation in West Virginia.
AS regards the Indictment against
Mr.. White and his fellow officials of
the miners union, Mr.. Dewitt said the
indictment was returned without
knowledge of the department of just
ice and that the department had not
authorized any such proceedings to
be brought. ia =
A nasty fight has broken out among
the democrats of Marion over the
scramble for the Marion postoffice,
following the resignation of J. s. Alex
ander, the incumbent, to take effect
June 30.
L. X. Moore, of Anamosa. chairman
of the Fifth district democratic organ.
iZatiCn, has Endorsed G.. S. Shanklin
for the office, and the application OF
Mr. Shanklin with the Endorsement
of Mr.. Moore, together with numerous
other Endorsements of reputable dem
Ocrats, is on file here in Washington.
Now come to Washington T. J. DAY.
is, president of the First National
Bank OF Marion, who declares Mr..
Shanklin is not fit man to be post
master of the capitol of Linn county.
The report of Mr.. Shanklin which he
made at the Washington headquart-
ers of the Iowa democratic organiZa-
tion and at the White House, was any
thing but complimentary.
The statements of Mr.. Davis were
supported by signed statements of Il.
Hamilton, former representative in
congress from the Fifth district; J. II.
Crosby and other prominent demo
Gratis Of Cedar Rapids.
The Marion opponents of Mr.. Shank
lin are asking for the appointment OF
b. F. Mentzer, president of the Mar
ion Saving bank, whose family 1t
is represented, has been identified
with the growth of Linn county for
more than fifty years.
- - -
Representative Charles A. Kennedy
of the First Iowa district, is In re-
ceipt of letter from an old friend in
California, which may be taken as
straw that shows the way the polite
al wind is blowing in Hi" Johnson's
state.
This friend is the son of woman
who was Mr.. Kennedy's school teach
er in the days when he was little
boy down in southeastern Iowa. Both
boys got into politics and their letters
to each other during the last year
have been full Of interest. Both were
brought up republicans and both con-
tmued unfaltering In the faith until
last year, which marked a parting of
the ways for thousands of other life
long political associates.
In 1912 Mr.. Kennedy supported the
republican ticket from top 'to bottom
and was returned to congress from
his district as a regular republican;
his boyhood friend in California was
nominated for state senator on the
bull moose ticket and was defeated.
The friend in his letter states that
fully So percent of the progressives In
his district desire to return to the re.
publican party and his opinion is that
il is only question of short time
until practically all OF them shall be
back In the fold
Wilbur Marsh, of Waterloo, is here
I'd look after the tariff on cream sep.
arstors. Mr.. Marsh Is good demo
crat but he is fearful that cream sep
arators are going to be put on the
free list Or, at least the duty unduly