The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-20
A SCHEME OF
The ENEMY.
Demand for Incorporation of
the Labor Unions
Is Thus Characterized by Pres
ident John Mitchell.
HIS ANNUAL REPORT
At the National Wage COnven-
tiOn of the Miners.
Pays His Respects to Govern
ment by Injunction
HIS ANNUAL REPORT
Mr.. Wilson Tells How Money
Poured Into Strike Fund.

IndianapOlis, Ind, Jan. 2O.-Ihe nrSt
thing on today's programme at the +
miners national wage convention was /
the reading of John MitchelHs annual
report. The convention met promptly
at 9 o'clock with 900 delegates in their /
seats. Mr.. Mitchell received the closest /
attention.
President Mitchell began his address
by fnpressing upon the delegates the in
terest committed to their care.
OF the many important events affect
ing the interests and welfare of the toll
ers Of the country he said the anthra-
cite strike stood pre- eminent
Vital principles were at stake which if
defeated would have given to the Amer
lean labor movement a shock from
which it would have required years to
rally and recover. After giving brief
history of the great strike including the
effort of the civic federation to settle
the controversy between the miners and
operators, the appointment Of the strike
commission by President Roosevelt and
the White House conferences, Mr.
Mitchell continued:
1T would of course be improper at
this time for me to comment upon the
investigation now being conducted by
the anthracite strike commission more
4 than to say that its members are men
in whose impartiality and judgment
have full confidence.
Firm in my opinion of our ability to
/ demonstrate the justice OF our claims
have no fear of the outcome
Touching conditions in Virginia ana
West virginia President Mitchell SAID
the effort TO secure for the miners the
same conditions that obtained IN tne
districts covered by tne interstate
r agreement, had not met with the degree
of success that had been hOped 1Or, al
though a larger number of local unions
had been established during the past
year than during any other peIloo iii
the mining history of those states me
effect of the Injunction was denorallz-
. ing to the miners in the halrmont re
The strike in West Virginia, though
; not a complete success. had resulted ~
an Improvement in the conditions OF
enplovnent and an increase of 10 per
: cent in wages in the F'airmont district
and on the Norfolk & Western railroad.
: With each succeeding year the rela-
q tions become more cordial between Int
operators ana miners in those districts
n where trade agreements exist ana TN
( bond of mutual confidence and respec
j perceptibly increases ihat the puslueS: business
u relationship now existing viii continue
4 and grow as time goes on, IS my earnes
e hone and confident expectations
o Concerning the Incorporation of TRADE
II unions NIr Mitchell submitted an opln
n ion by Clarence 5. DarrOW OF chicago
e attorney for the miners before tn
o strike commission in which the follow
II ing sentences occur
l. 1.-The demand for the 1ncorpofal lion o
trade unions is the last trench OF thOS
Q who Oppose organized labor. 1t IS lfnpu
Is dent and presumptuous- No friends Q
e trade unionism ever believed IN II or ad
- vocated It, or called for it. IT IS de
n roarded today BY those interests an
le those enemies who have used ever
+. means at their command to oppose trad
y unionism. to counteract its infuenc
and to destroy it
es How the labor organizations sha
Ia manage their own affairs IS not tn
81 business of the corporations or the EN-
ID plovers This new demand for the II
te corDoration of labor uniOns IS not oni
unjust and unreasonable. but II IS I'M
ed puGent and insulting to the last dc
er gree. r.-,-
st said:
the most insidious. harassing and daI
at gerous methods resOrted TO by the en'
rs rs mics of the working men to destroy L
~ bor orea rizations and to circumvent II
as constitutional right OF trial by jury II
whole system of government BY inJun
at tion grows from the distrust of the u
IN, ira capitalists for democratic institl
NO tions.
nd iniunctions are always misleading AT
to generally false So far as these injun
I'D ti0ns are issued in labor cases they a
sy never issued excepting in such cases
ne call for the exercise of criminal law
@ elr Government by injunction is not on
80 hostile to organized labor, but 1t IS no
at tile to constitutional liberty. If 7
American people do not check this art
IN trary power it viii result IN the anI
Tor hilation of labor unions and then OF :
~ other form of associations dlshked
en- capitalists ,,,
We mort Secretary Wilson submitted his 7
icy port 1t was as follows.
WILSON'S REPORT
le- Mr.. Wilson dwelt at length on ma
nat nhases of the great anthracite stri
IF and coming down to the matter
sat relief funds he said that when the c
an for funds was issued by the spec
hat convention summoned by the miners
to was Immediately taken up BY
American Federation of Labor, the Nt
ious trades unions. the central bodi
r. our cities and the public at large q
u the response was both liberal q
rronpt The special convention h
scarcely more than adjourned WI
n he received a check from district
< for SO 900 This was followed
favs later by $1,000 from district
13 $50 600 from district No. y, s.,
from, district No IL 81. 900 from distT
trlv No 25 81 GOO from district No. 90 2
512- So 29q so from district No. 2 The
oss. nation from district No u was m
surprising in its magnitude when II
my considered that lust one month bef
ne If had sent in $50 600 for the West
oss. ginia mines The various supdlstrl
ing and local unions were also equal to
! Of occasion and many Of them contribu
levery penny in their treasures as 8