The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-30
Is IN THE PUBLIC Eye
SKETCH OF JOHN MITCHELL,
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
MIME WORKERS
COMMANDS AN ARMY OF MEN
Born In 1869 and of Remarkably
Youthful APP earance-Is an
Effective Public
Speaker.

Here is the story of a man who can
swing hundred and fifty, thousand men
men of Drawn and muscle, wielders of
pick and hammer; men who wiring from
the interior of the earth coal which has
made millionaires of others, says the
New York Herald.
They have rights and wrongs, these
men. and although many of them are
graybeards and few of them immature,
the man who controls them, the man
who swings them. who purposes es-
tablishing their rights and redressing
their wrongs, is perhaps more youth
full looking than any of them.
He is John Mitchell, the executive OF
the United Mine Workers of America.
He is only thirty-one, but he does not look
even that. Like many other men of
force, he is smooth faced, nearly 10
pounds, he is rather small in stature.
He dresses neatly, but not extensively,
and usually wears a soft SLOUGH hat He
Is native of Illinois. having been born
in Braidwood on Feb. 4, 1869.
He is just the man to lead a. band OF
miners. He has been one himself, and he
comes of a gritty stock His father was
not only miner, but a Union soldier.
so that mining and pluck runs In his
veins. He was a mere lad when he be-
gan supporting himself His mother died
when he was two years old, and his ia
Their died four years later and until ha
was ten years old the boy lived. with his
Stepmother, acquiring what education
his meager circumstances permitted.
Then he cast loose and began to shift
for himself. He became farm laborer.
nut the mining impulse was in him. and
at thirteen he began his career as a coal
miner BY sixteen he was a KNIGHT Of
Labor, joining the order at BracevtlIe.
III He already had a sense of the power
that was to be gained by organization
and systemattzed agitation. Shortly az
ter Joining he concluded to see something
OF the far West, and Travelled to Colo
fado' New Mexico and other points in
the West and Southwest, earning his
way by digging COAL He returned tn
LIMOS In the spring of 1891, and made
his home at Spring Valley, where. at the
age OF twenty-five, he married Miss
Catherine O'Rourke. Mrs. Mitchell and
tileir children, three boys and a girl now
reside In Spring Valley. Mr.. MttchelPs
eXacttng duties keep him In IndfananoTTa
or elsewhere most of the time, but 6e
goes nome whenever his work permits.
is A PRACTICAL. MINER
Being practical miner, he was alive r.
his fellow workman's needs. and heino
equany alive to the power of organiza.
tlon' ne was not slow to identify himself
Win any labor movement that looked tc
tne real retirement Of the miners con-
uitlon- Ills first office Of Importance in
ooll t with the Knights Of Labor
was IN the North Illinois subdistrict "a
winch, IN 1895, he was made secretary.
treasurer He was bright and Quick
Witted, with a knack for argument nd
pleasing address, which made those
with whom he argued listen to what he
had TO say. Consequently, a wear afta,
he became ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS he was
sent TO Springfield to work for mining
measures before the legislature. This he
o tI Win such persistence and intelligence
tnat ne secured the passage of the .Gross
weight law and the ANTITRUST laws
1heSe and other measures which were
passed at his instance made him ex.
trenery popular. As a result he became
I IN 1897, a member Of the executive con-.
mlttee of the Illinois state organization
ana IN the same year was made an or.
sdhlzatlon, and In the same year was
lilelue an organizer of the national body.
more commanding Importance in labo,
councils. He took another step I'D ir
le9S when he was elected vice president
OF the United Mine Workers of America
ana he reached the top Of that organize.
ton, the presidency, when, in the follow.
| ing September, M. D. Ratchford resigned
| 10 become member Of the national in
uustIial commission. The proud position
| TO which Mitchell had succeeded becan,
/ election al
1889, and at the Indianapolis convention
III January, 1900, he was reelected with
| out vote being cast against him 81
| great Is his popularity.
When he became president the orcani
| cation numbered 5000 It now has 15O 00
| members. Mitchell is a man OF so ,n,loI
| foresight and such keen penetration tina.
SINCE MS presidency the organization hal
| had no failures and has been s1Iccesssf,,
in all the strikes he has ordered ronea
Quently he stands well with the rank an,
| lie OF the organization. Outside of this
| ne has been, since 1893. fourth vice presf
dent Of the American Federation n
| LABOR, and q member of the executiy,
council, in which he is one of the clos
ADVISERS Of Samuel Gompers. He Ia FL
! active and energetic man outside of hi
Iaoor interests. While a resident O
| Spring Valley he was president of q,
/
erary and educational clubs and presiden
Of the board of education, and was other
wise prominent In local affairs, being ,
| leader in an independent political club.
His youthful appearance has aIread,
! been remarked upon. Among his asso
clates, both in labor circles and In tn
outside clubs over which he has presided
his young looks have earned him the it'll
Of 1.-The boy president" His address q,
a public speaker is said to be agreeabl
| and impressive, as he has clear, goo
| voice and an excellent command Of Ian
| guage.
VAST LABOR UNION.
The United Mine Workers of Amerie,
being the greatest labor body the worI
has ever seen, Mitchen's rapid success
in obtaining the presidency Of the or
| ganization might have been expected t
turn the head Of so young man. Blu