The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-04
B TO
Its Worth Estimated by a COnserva-
tive Journal.
Philadelphia Public Ledger.

Philadelphia Public Ledger.
To estimate Alright the real worth and
weight of yesterdays tribute to the presi-
dent of the mine workers it must be con-
sidered who and what he is or who and
what he is not. He is not a great states
man, soldier nor sailor, whom his country
men delight to honor because of the pa
triotic services he has rendered the state.
He Is not a man of enormous wealth, who
has achieved fame by the building OF
churches, schoolhouses and libraries, or by
the endowment of hospitals, homes and
asylums for the INDECENT. He has made no
great invention; written no great book Tor
which the world is richer. He has not
builded palaces for himself and filled them
with priceless works of art that the mass
may see and admire. He was not born
great nor rich; he came up. fought his way
up. from the soil of the farm and from the
depths of the mine. He made his own in
heritance of usefulness. power and fame.
PRESIDENT Mitchell may not at all times
and through all the difficulties, perplexiues
and severe ordeals of the prolonged con,
test with his adversaries. have spoken ana
acted with the wisdom of Solomon, whlch
Is only 10 say that, being human, he was
not always infallible. But who of those
among his powerful opponents exhlpiteo
as shrewd generalship in the field or as
great tactfulness in council as he? They
were experienced men of the world, OF
broad and general knowledge and expert
ence armed by their colleges, universities
and attrition with the more active world
or thought and endeavor, with finer, sharp
er weapons of offense and defense than this
untutored graduate of the farm and mine.
yet when the contrast, at any time, at any
crisis OF the strike, is made between MS
adversaries and Mr.. Mitchell, and especial
~ as they respectively appeared at either
of the White House conferences, 1t must
De confessed, even by those in contention
with him, that his bearing, speech and acts
won greater respect by the comparison.
throughout the protracted struggle many
were opposed to the one in those crucial
trial scenes, and yet 1t was not he that
showed the lesser Judgment: tactfulness
and discretion. At the last of those meet
ings, the day of the assembling of the COM
mission. when a prominent operator OBJ
Jected to Mr.. Mitchell's presence as the
president of the mine workers association,
with what wise frank repression and
courtesy he waived the objection aside and
accepted the lesser post of representative
or the miners.
1t was a hard fight that he fought for
nearly half a year against one of the most
powerful bodies of men in the country.
But his loyal, admiring followers followed
him unfaIteringly to the end, through pow
erty. suffering and distress. Their high
faith In their leader failed not by the way,
and at last they reached the prize for which
they so Stoutly Observation-Disclosures.
Whatever great or good qualities may be
denied John Mitchell by his opponents, they
and all men must admit that a man who
has commended so long and so well against
such powerful forces as he encountered in
field and council is one who, as an in
fiuence and a factor in our economic and
social life, must be reckoned with. A man
who can win and hold the confidence, ad-
miration and gratitude of vast armies of
men, such as the 400, 900 mine workers of
our bituminous and anthracite coal fields.
is not of ordinary mold. President Mitchell
has proved himself to be a man of extraor-
binary force of character, will and power,
and as such he must be carefully consid-
cred and respected in all movements in
which he may either lead or play a part.