The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-20
Torch Light Parade With 2OOO
 Union Men in Line
MINERS BEGIN THEIR WORK
In Speech to Public John Mitchell Says Labor Merely Follows In Foot steps of Its Business Part
 ner, Capital.

Indianapolis, Ind, January 19.-The city of Indianapolis and it's organized labor societies united tonight in reception to President Mitchell of the United Mine Workers of America. A torch light pa- rade with 2OOO men in line escorted MT. Mitchell and other prominent labor lead- CTS to Tomlinson hall, which was crowded to the doors. Addresses of welcome were made by Mayor Bookwalter, President Feltman of the Central Labor union and National Secretary Duff of the Brother hood of Carpenters and Joiners.
 President Mitchell was greeted with cheers that lasted five minutes. He spoke rapidly and was frequently interrupted by applause. He said:
 "I am not vain enough to believe that this splendid welcome is personal tribute to me. The credit for the settlement of the great anthracite coal strike belongs not to me, but to the women and children who suffered bitter privations for five long months in the coal fields, where their husbands and fathers might stand firm to the cause of justice. Before being a trades unionist, l am an American! My first allegiance Is to my country.
 Has Faith In Commission.
 "I can hardly discuss the matters that are now in the hands of the strike com mission. l have an abiding faith In the honesty of the tribunal which has In it's hands the settlement of our difficulties, that means so much to our side and the | of ub halipVa in the people.
 Your townsman Mir. Parry prophesized that while there would be quite a large crowd here tonight, there would be no property owners, l would not do him an injustice, for I know him quite well and he may not be correctly quoted. But l do not consider property as proper measure of good citizenship. l don't im- agine that all the money Morgan pos sesses could make man. Why should men like Mir. Parry oppose the organiza- tion of labor? He himself Is the presi- dent of the National Manufacturers as- Bociation. He is really it's walking dele- gate, manufacturers, bankers grocers, wholesalers, preachers and saloon men have their organizations
 Surely no one would deny us working men the rights which the whisky dealers and others have. Lapdr will take ad- vantage of every privilege that capital does. If capital organizes, labor will or ganize; if capital consoidates, labor will consolidate Labor simply follows in the footsteps ofs it's partner, capital
 Union Is a Democracy.
 But there is still a difference. The labor organization is a democracy pure and simple. The individual vote of every members settles. every question.
 "Organized labor stands for more than biobar uages If xUon1d take the hrpaI<ar boy out of the mines and put himN in school. It would make them boys and girls playing in the school yards instead of bearing the heaviest responsibilities of life in the mines. Labor is not always right. It has done many foolish things. It has been it's own worst enemy. l am not one of those who consider 1t wise or just to denounce capital. Not one of us is poor from choice. Labor must ex- anime itself and do its own share to elevate the state of its individual mem bers.
 ''I shall be glad if out of the anthracite coal strike shall come a new relationship between capital and labor; one that will recognize the obligations as well as the privileges that each owes the other. Then. indeed. will our country be pre- pared to enter upon it's new and greater life."
 At Convention Hall.
 While the convention today was await ing the arrival of Secretary w. E. Wilson to read the call for the convention, Dele gate Ryan asked for unanimous consent for Vice President Lewis to address the convention on behalf of the Amalgamat- ed Woodworkers of America Permission was granted and MT. Lewis presented to the President on behalf of the woodwork CTS a gavel which will be used at the con- vention.
 Secretary Wilson then read the call for the convention. After the reading of the call the committee on credentials made it's report. The committee on rules and the general order of business was ap- pointed, with instructions to report at once.
 It was found that many delegates who were present were not reported on favor ably for the reason that the locals they represented had not paid all of the assess ments which had been made agains, them. The report was unsatisfactory tc many delegates, and a motion that the committee on credentials be instructed to seat all delegates whose locals are not in arrears for more than two months of 190z was carried.
 Locals Not Able to Buy.
 The question arose over the anthracite workers. On account of the great strike of last summer and fall many of the locals were not able to pay their assess ments.
 After work was resumed many of the dues were paid but they did not reach national headquarters in legal time to be credited Every delegate in attendance, whose local has not paid the tax and as sessments for the strike fund, will pre- sent his claims before the credentials committee through the offices of the dis trict from which he comes if they are present and if they are not they will be allowed to be heard themselves.
 The committee on rules and order of business reported that the same rules a those used last year would be the rules of this convention, and the order of busi- ness the same. Committees were named on scale, resolutions, transportation. of ficers' reports, appeals and grievances, and constitution.
 President Mitchell will submit his re- port tomorrow morning, as will Secretary 1Efaa Wilson The