Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-01-19
Calls SUSPENSIONS Horrible and Creators Of
Terrible Suffering.
STILL LABOR MUST RETAIN WEAPON
Capital Must Sometimes Be Fought by Only
Means Available.
ANTHRACITE sToPPAGt VALUABLE LESSON
People Taught 20 Better Appreciate
Principles which Underlie work
srs' Organization by Long
and Terrible Struggle.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Jan. 1s.-The four
teenth annual convention OF the United
Mine Workers of America will open here
tomorrow morning. Every train today
brought delegates from every part Of the
United States.
Mr.. Mitchell arrived shortly after 1 and
was taken Immediately to his hotel. Vice
President Lewis and many members OF the
executive board are already here and those
who are not will arrive in the morning.
The delegates from the western and south
ern states arrived today other delegations
which arrived were one from Pittsburg
headed by Pat Dolan and Uriah Belling
ham with seventy delegates, the anthracite
delegates numbering over 100 men, the Ohio
delegation, headed by the officers OF that
state, and 200 delegates. The Tennessee
delegation has also arrived with many
delegates, headed by the officers of that
district.
Committee Meets Mitchell.
Mr.. Mitchell was met at Greenfield by a
reception committee representing the Cen
trai Labor union of indianapolis, John j.
Appel. August Kuhn and Mortimer Lever
ing, representing the citizens, and Eli
Hirschburg and Gus w. Kevers Of the Elks.
Mr.. Mitchell was at lunch. but left the
table long enough to meet the committee.
He was met at the depot by carriages and
with the committee was taken to his hotel.
where he held an informal reception for a
number Of his personal friends.
The crowd which assembled at the depot
to welcome him was large. The evening
was raw and cold and the train was nearly
an hour late, but notwithstanding these
drawbacks, the people waited. When Mr..
Mitchell appeared he was greeted with
cheers, which continued until he had left
his carriage and entered the hotel. The
crowd expected that he would be accom-
panied by Samuel Gompers. president of
the American Federation of Labor, but IL
is probable Mr. Gompers will find 1t i'm
possible to attend the convention at all.
Those who accompanied Mr.. Mitchell were
Prof. Frank Warne, instructor Of political
economy of the University OF Psnnsyl-
vania, and Harry s. Remington of the Boot
and shoemakers union. Others who ar
rived on the same train were: John Fahey
president OF District No. OF the anthracite
workers; President w. H. Haskins. Vice
President ID. H. Sullivan and Secretary
Treasurer G.. w. Savage OF the Ohio Mine
Workers.
After the arrival OF the president at the
hotel many of the delegates organizers and
officers called to welcome him and to ex-
tend their greetings. At 6 a dinner was
served in the "ordinary'' at the hotel fol
Mr.. Mitchell and the reception committee
After the dinner John Feltman, who acted
rs POSTMASTER. called upon President Lev
ering Of the Columbia National bank e
welcome President Mitchell.
John L. Feltman. president of the Cen.
tral Labor union. called upon Mr.. Mitchell
Holds strikes Wrong.
Mr. Mitchell spoke only few minutes
and said:
To live up to the measure that has beer
set for me by the people OF the United
States is indeed a difficult one. The grea
number are prone TO believe that maj
whose name has appeared in the pres
daily for the last few months and who's
picture has been printed in the newspaper
from one coast to the other is a great ora
tor. To be a great orator and TO be ab
to make eloquent utterances has alway
been my wish. am just a plain talker
have perhaps been honored by organ
ized labor as much or more than anyone o
Its many leaders today. whether de
; have tried to do my duty toward the me-
who have chosen me as their leader and
have striven hard for them.
heartily thank the people of Indianap
oils for the cordial welcome they have eX
tended me. | believe that they have tn
right conception of the purpose of or
ganized labor The majority Of them be
ieve differently than they did five year
blamed wholly for the many strikes an
lockouts in factories and in the coal fields
the controversy between the operators an
miners In the anthracite fields. Strike
and lockouts, however, are foreign TO IN
ieve in strikes. l regard them as horribl
and the creators OF suffering. But / d
belieTe that the laboring men of the cour
try should never surrender the right
strike and protect themselves against ol
for one do not regard the interests {
capital and labor as so much opposed
each other that they cannot be recor
OF this country and believe that they ca
solve the great labor problem which COZ
fronts Us and solve It right. The lab
by that class OF the people who heret,
fore did not understand the purposes
result / believe in the establlshment ,
proper relations between employers an
1 am deeply grateful TO you. the repr,
sentative men OF the city, for the heart
welcome you have extended me. Next
regard Indianapolis as my home and al
preeiate the honor you have and wi
do me.
Labor VIII welcome Lender.
Tomorrow the labor unions will eeIebrat
Mr.. Mitcheil's return. At night a para6
OF iaDoiinb heh VIII DC held, toiloWeQ by
mass meeting In Tomlinson hall, whei
the following program win be followed;
Address OF welcome John l.. Feltma
president Central Labor unior; addres
"Our Guest" Charles A. Bookwalte
n mayor; address. John Mitchell preside
United Mine Workers OF America; addres
James NJ Lynch, president Information
Typographical union; address, W. h. w
son. seer tary United Mine Workers
America; address. s. NJ. Sexton, edit
United Mine Workers OF AMERICA addrei
Workers Of America.
Tonlinson hall has been decorated fort
occasion and extensions built to the sta
IN order to permit seAts for 500 men.
The convention will open tomorrS
morning II will be called TO order BY n
Mitchell. who will give way to Mayor Boo
walter. who Is to welcome the delegat'
He will be followed by John Feltma
7 president Of the Central Labor union. W
will welcome the mine workers on behalf