Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-19
Fourteenth Annual Convention
of United Mine Workers
at Indianapolis
SIX HUNDRED DELEGATES THERE
President Mitchell Makes a Short Ad-
dress in Which He Defends Trades
unionism Against the Attacks of the
capi.aIists-The Question Of lneor-
porating the Unions. ~,

Indianapolis, Jan. 19.--1 ue SA1sSu
Mine Workers fourteenth annual con-
yention opened here this morning, with
over 600 delegates present. Mayor
Bookwalter made al short address of
welcome in behalf of the city. and
President Mitchell followed with a
short response. The preliminary work
Of organization was then taken up.
President Mitchell began his address
by impressing upon the delegates the
Interest committed to their care. VI
the many important events affecting
the interests and welfare of the toilers
of the country, he said the anthracite
coal strike stood pre- eminent. vital
principals were at stake, which, II de-
feated, would have given to the Ameri-
can labor movement a shock from
which it would have required years TO
rally and recover. After giving BRIEF
history of the great strike and inciud-
ing the effort of the civic federation to
settle the controversy between the
miners and operators, appointment OF
the strike commission by President
Roosevelt and the white house confer
ences. Mitchell continued: 1t would.
of course, be improper at this time for
me to comment upon the investigation
now being conducted by the Anthracite
Coal Strike Commission more than to
say that its members are eminent men,
in whose impartiality in judgment
have full confidence. Firm in my opin-
ion for the ability to demonstrate the
Justice of our claims. I have no fear OF
the outcome He touched upon the
In Virginia and West Vir-
ginia and continued: with each sue
ceelling year the relations become more
cordial between the operators and min
ers in those districts. whose trade
agreements exist and the bonds of mu-
tual confidence and respect perceptibly
Increased. That the business relation
ship. now exesting will continue and
grow as time goes on is my earnest
hope and confident expectations Con-
cerning the Incorporation of trade
unions, Mitchell submitted an opinion
by Clarence S. Darrow. attorney for the
miners before the commission, In which
the following sentences occur:
Demand for Incorporation of, trade
unions is the last trench of those who
oppose organized labor. 1t is impudent
and presumptuous. No friend of trade
unionism ever believed in it or advo-
Gated it, or called for it. It is demanded
today by those interests and those enc
mics who have used every means at
their command to oppose trade union
ism, to counteract its influence and to
destroy it."
Referring to injunctions, Mitchell
said
Government by injunction is one OF
the most insidious. harrassing and dan
gerous methods resorted to by the ene-
mics of workingmen to destroy labor
again and to circumvent the constitu-
tional right of trial by jury. The whole
system of government by injunction
grows from distrust of ultra capitalists
for democratic institutions. 1t is not
only hostile to organized labor, but 1T
is hostile to constitutional liberty. II
the American people do not check this
arbitrary power it will result In annihi-
lation of labor unions and then of all
other forms Of association disliked by
carftalists"