Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-22
MITCHELL
IS LOYAL
PRESIDENT OF MINE WORKERS
SAID TO OPPOSE AGITATION
AGAINST ROOSEVELT.
ADMIREs PRESIDENT
Mitchell is Too Full of Gratitude for
Services of Chief Executive in, Set
ting Coal Strike to Let Miller Case
Change His Opinion of Roosevelt.

Washington, Sept. 21.-Members of
the executive council of the American
Federation of Labor from the differ
ent sections of the country are arriv-
ing here for the first meeting of the
council preparatory to taking up vari-
Gus matters for presentation to the an
nual convention of the federation in
Boston in November. One after an
other of them was questioned
concerning his attitude of antagonism
to President Roosevelt, as voiced by
the local branch of the Central labor
union here. None would allow him.
self to talk, as it is anticipated this
will be one of the subjects to come up
before the executive council 1t is
known however. that there is strong
opposition of having the federation
recognize the protest made by the To-
cal union or to have it consid-
cred in any way by the annual conven-
ton in Boston. Some of them are un.
derstood to hold that the movement is
simply the work of making political
capital for those who are enemies of
the President
Mitchell is Grateful.
John Mitchell, the president of the
United Mine Workers for instance, is
a member of the executive council,
and, while he would not discuss the
Miller case tonight. his friends say he
is by far too grateful to President
Roosevelt for his valuable assistance
in settling the great coal strike to al
low himself to be dragged into any
movement which has for it object, pc
| litical hostility to the President, next
year. President Mitchells relations
with President Roosevelt during the
| settlement of the coal strike were of a
| confidential nature and Mr. Mitchell
knows well from that experience that
President Roosevelt is not an enemy
OF organized labor and that it is I'M
| fair to try to place him in that light
before the public. President Mitchell
however, does not wish to be drawn in
to this controversy and many other la
| Dor leaders share his feeling.
Mitchell's Position.
| The action of this local union here
in sending all affiliated unions copies
OF its resolutions of protest and seek
| ing Endorsement from all labor unions
places men like President Mitchell il
an embarrassing position. The Unit
/ ed Mine Workers will be called upon
| for instance, to declare their attitude
in regard to indorsing the resolution.
in the Miller case. Mr.. Mitchell, a.
president of that organization, probabl,
will be looked to for the direction O
| the mine workers in their decision il
| this case.
Gompers Criticised.
/ There is much gossip, concernins
| the attitude of Samuel Gompers, pres
| ident of the federation of labor. He i.
expected TO attend the meeting of til,
| executive council. Many labor mel
say that if President Gompers had as
serted his influence no such resolution.
ever would have been adopted by tn,
local union 1t S rumored that Com
pers is in sympathy with the purpos,
of the movement being engineered
/ about the administration.
/ Among the members of the eXecutiv,
council who have arrived are JOIN
i mitchell OF tne united NINE workers
John R. O'Brien of Buffalo. H. T. Flynn
and e. H. Mcguire of Pittsburg, j. B
Leonard of Bloomington, Max Morris
of Denver, Chas |, Kidd of Chicago an,
John Mulholland of Toledo. The ,coun
Gil, it is anticipated, will be in session
all the week.
Is Enforcing Laws.
| Denny Hayes of Philadelphia sal,
this evening: Organized labor ha
never made fight against any mai
who is conscientiously and consistent
lyt enforcing the laws as ne finds then
on the statute books. Whatever i
done, in this instance, will be aloni
4 conservative lines"
i Tn nrTN I'M Ant