The Indianapolis journal., 1904-02-21


United Mine Workers, by appointment in
his rooms at the Ebbitt House. / say by
appointment. for Mr.. Mitchell is one of the
busy men Of the United States. He is the
head of the largest labor union in the
world. The association of United Mine
Workers has more than 10000 members,
and it keeps a million dollars in its treas
ury 10 fight its battle with capital. Mr..
Mitchell is also one of the chief officers of
the American Federation of Labor. which
has more than two million members. and as
such he has to do with Congress and with
all sorts of labor disputes. He is on the
road about as much as the average COM
mercial traveller. He comes to Washing
ton once a month, and the remainder of his
time is spent in Indianapolis or in travelling
from place to place settling labor troubles.
Now he is in New York counseling with the
building men, now at Cripple Creek ad-
vocating the rights of the gold and silver
miners, and now on the advisory board OF
a great strike like that Of the anthracite
mines of Pennsylvania.
II takes strong man and a cool man to
manage a business like this-a with a
good physique, iron nerves and a temper
well in hand. These are among the charac-
teristics of Mitchell. His cheeks shine with
health and his muscles are iron. He has a
clear brown eye which laughs or grows ser
ious as he talks. and a jaw which shows
determination. He is a young man. We call
President Roosevelt young. John Mitchell
is ten years younger. He is only thirty
four, and with his splendid physique is
good type OF the best of the working men
he represents.
AS we chatted together he gave me a
word or so about his early life. He is the
son OF a miner, and at thirteen went into
the mines and worked there until he was
twenty-six. That was only eight years ago,
so that only two presidential terms have
elapsed since the John Mitchell of to-day
was actually handling coal.
asked him what he did in the mines.
He replied:
Everything. I began my work in a coal
mine at the age of thirteen. 1 started at
the bottom at 70 cents day. Then 1 be-
came driver at s1.1O a day, and from that
1 went on through the various gradations
of mining work until. 1 think 1 can truly
say, 1 have done about everything con-
nected with mining.
when did you first join a trades union?"
w men Il was was tHt Tepiy.
"And 1 have been connected with organized
labor from that time until now
But how about your education. Mr..
Mitchell?"
That came from a short course in the
public schools, for L began work very early
in my life. All that got afterward came
from night study and reading"
when did you become president of the
United Mine Workers."
I'm 1898, and 1 have been its president
ever since"
TRUSTS AND THE WORKING MAN.
The conversation turned to the influence
of trusts upon the labor unions, and l
asked Mr.. Mitchell whether the great syn
dicates had strengthened organized labor.
He replied:
II think they have. They have shown
the men the necessity for organization. The
unions have grown rapidly since the begin
ming of the great trust era, and they are
growing rapidly to-day"
do you think they will some time reach
all branches of labor?'
II have no doubt of it, replied Mr..
Mitchell.
How about the store clerks?''
THE retail clerks are already well or
ganized was the reply. ''They have unions
in nearly all of the cities, and their men,
bership numbers about $1,000"
what do you propose to do. increase
their wages?' / asked.
NO." replied Mr.. Mitchell. 'At present
the clerks are working for a better
rangement of time. They want shorter
hours, and fixed ones for opening and clos
ing The union includes women clerks as
we'll as the men,"
How about the women and organized
labor, Mr.. Mitchell? Do many Of them be-
long to the trade unions?''
YES" replied the president of the Mine
Workers. "dost of our unions admit wom
en- as members. Many women belong to
them, and we hope to have more. L think
the men should induce them to come in.
There are also unions composed entirely
of women. In England about one-twenteth
of the members of the trades unions are
women
What kind of union man does a wom-
an make?"
"She makes very good one," said Mr..
Mitchell ''She will endure more and suffer
more for what she believes to be right than
the man."
What class of men belong to the
unions?''
THE very best workmen in the United
classes In the United Mine Workers we
admit men of all nationalities and races.