Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-19
THE MINE WORKERS
Will Open Their 18th Annual Con-
vention, Today, at Indianapolis.


| fourteenth annual convention of tho
United Mine Workers of America will
begin here. tomorrow morning. Every
train, today brought delegates. Presi-
dent Mitchell arrived this afternoon
He was met ut Greenfield by a re-
ception committee.
At o'clock dinner was served at the
hotel for MI Mitchell and the recep-
ton committee. After the dinner
President Lowering of the Columbia
| National Bank, welcomed the miners
| leader. Later Mr.. Mitchell spoke
briefly. He said: ITO live up to the
measure that has been set for me by
the people of the United States is in
deed difficult. The greater number
is prone, to imagine that a man whose
name has appeared in the press daily
for the last few months and Whose
picture has been printed DIN the news
papers from one coast to the other, is
great orator. To be a great orator
and to be able to. make eloquent ut
terances has always been my WISH l
am just a plain talker.
Il haze perhaps been honored by or
ganized labor as much if not more than
| deserve these honors or not, / cannot
say. ] have tried to do my duty to-
ward the mon who have chosen me
their leader and have striven hard for
them.
Il heartily thank the people of In
|diararolis for the cordial welcome they
havc extended me. | believe they have
the right conception of the purposes OF
organized labor. The majority of them
believe differently than they did five
years ago When the unions Of the coun-
try were blamed wholly for the many
strikes and lockouts in factories and in
the coal fields.
Il am not here to speak Of the merits
Of the controversy between the opera
tors and tho miners in the anthracite
fields. Strikes and lockouts, however
are foreign to the purposes of organized
labor. l do not believe in strikes. re-
gard them as horrible and the creators
Of suffering. But ! do believe that the
laborinS men of the country should
never surrender the right to strike and
10 protect themselves against organized
capital. /, for one, do not regard the
interests of capital and labor as so
much opposed to each other that they
cannot be reconciled. l have abiding
faith in the citizens of this country and
believe that they can solve the great
abor problem which confronts us and
solve it right. The labor principles are
considered more lofty now by that class
of the people who heretofore did not
understand the purposes of trades
unions. TIE anthracite strike will re-
III 7 IN, ,l~I:. e
proper relations between employers and
employees.
Tomorrow will be the day of labors
celebration of Mitchelrs return. To-
morrow night parade of laboring men
will b. held. After the parade has
reached Tomlnson hall, several adj
dresses will be delivered
The convention will begin, tomorrow
morning. 1t will be called to order By
President Mitchell, who will give way 10
Mayor Bookwaiter who will welcome the
delesa les to the city. He will be followed
by President John Pellman of the Cen
trail Labor Union, who will welcome the
mine workers on behalf of the local or
ganizcd labor. 1t is expected that the or
ganization and opening speeches will oc-
eupy the greater part of the day. Follow
ing them m the report of the committee on
Mitchell said, tonight, that he would
probably not deliver his annual address
and report until Tuesday morning 1t is
understood he wiz enter into exhaustive
histories of the late conflict between the
miners and the operators on the anthra-
cite fields in pennsylvania and of the
West Virginia strikes.
Concerning the probability of the an
| thracite workers and the miners ever be-
| ing able to get together in joint confer
enee, Mr.. Mitchell said:
Il see no prospect of that coming tc
pass now but it will have to come at som,
| not far distant time. The miners in the
anthracite region are now mining NOR,
| tons Of coal per day than they have cvei
| done before. Their condition, Of course
is not what could be desired bat it is no:
hearty SO bad rs 1t might be. Ii is worst
| just now than IL there had been no strike
ard it will take some time for the old con.
ffitions to readjust themselves"