Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-01-20
Pres. Mitchell Violently
Attacked in Convention.
Randall Says Mitchell Sold the
Miners Association.
Mitchell Regulates the Charges and
Would Repeat Past Conduct.

lsio- Jan. ~ 49, 49,
tional convention Of the United Mine
Workers OF America, today, President
John Mitchell was accused by Delegate
Robert Randall CT Wyoming. of having
cold out the Colorado striking miners
to the operators; Of having been a
traitor to the miners organization, ana
Of having entered into conspiracy
with the mine owners. d. NJ Parry ana
Gov. Peabody's peace organizations. TO
vuin the Colorado miners and 10 lose
their recent STRIKE.
President Mitchell took the floor. and.
after denying the assertions, gave some
OF the reasons why the national miners
organization had withdrawn its sup
port from the Colorado strikers.
Randall had said that President
Howell Of the district. asked for s30O.-
OOO to promote the strike. Offering 10
win or lose it on that amount. Mitchell
referring to this, said Howell did not
ask for the money and declared II ne
had he would not have got it; that ne
would not trust him with it.
He charged President William II.
Howell ard Former National Board
Member J. /. Gear with unfairness. He
told how he forced Gear to resign his
office because Gear he said. admitted
that he was to get $1,000 from brokers
for advance information concerning the
close CT the strike. He also told of
HOwe,rs leaving Gea" IN charge of the
strike for a time last year. and said
that in two weeks Gear Grew $4,000 of
the organizations money for the strike.
Mr.. Howell" declared Mitchell, lis
not a safe witness against anybody.
He told how the first and the last
money sent to the strike was appropri-
ated by the officers to pay their back
salaries.
Mr.. Mitchalrs statement showed a
generally bad situation. He said that
after 5000, 900 mad been poured into Colo
RADIO the spirit shown ny the miners OF
the state was such that he had to
recommend a settlement and that ma
tiOnal aid be withdrawn. He would do
the same thing again under such cir
cumstances. He said he was ready to
get out If it was thought best, and re-
ferrcd to the fact that for six years he
had not asked for a collection.
There were speeches by Vice Presi-
dent T. L. Lewis. Patrick Dolan of
Pittsburg, and w. r. Farley. who was
in charge of the strike and Secretary
W. B. Wilson. In these speeches it was
alleged that the Colorado miners had
wanted per diem for remaining on
strike; that they ble1 the national
treasury under every pretext and that
instead Of starving they received more
money than the anthracite strikers got
figured on a per capita basis.
The feeling among the delegates was
almost unanimously in favor of Presi-
dent Mitchell.
indianapolis, Ind. Jan. 19.-The man
agement of the Colorado strike was bit
terly argued, today, on the floor of the
national convention of the United Mine
Workers. Delegate Robert Randall Of
Wyoming, took the floor and spoke
more than an hour. He charged that
President Mitchell had sold out the
miners organization in tn e recent Col
OradO strike and attacked the financial
integrity of the president. His speech
was personal attack on President
Mitchell. The delegates tried to ST
lence Randall. but President Mitchell
raped for order and insisted that Ran
dali be heard.
When Randall was through PreSi-
dent Mitchell reviewed the conduct of
the Colorado strike and said it was
true he had advised a settlement and
would do so again under the same cir
cumstances. He said early in the
strike President Howells of the dis
trict. asked for $500, 900 with which to
carry on the strike which had been re-
fused.
President Mitchell said he did not
want to trust Howells with that
amount.
President Mitchell mada the charge
that Ex- National Board Member j. l..
Gears. had been in collision with
others. in connection with the stock
market: that the miners had refused
to put up tents sent them unless paid
for it. that the miners had demanded
the per diem wage. while on the strike,
and that finally, after 100000 had been
poured into the field and the strike had
been irrtrievedly lost he advised set
tlement. Vice President Lewis. Score
tary Patrick DOlan of Pittsburg and
w. r. Fairly of Omaha. who had
charge of the strike for President
Mitchell also spoke vigol ously defend
ing Mr. Mitchell.
Previous to the attack on Mitchell
the convention again refused to allow
the organization to be committed tC
Socialism.
President Mitchell defended the lead
ers of the Civic Federation when Ran
dali shouted that thu leaders were
Grover Cleveland, whom every labor.
ing man detests: Frank Robbins o.
Pittsburg. who has male millions by
heating down his miners and Andrew
Carnegie, whose hands are red witt
the blood Of Homestead strikers.
President Mitchell angrily said: g,
have heard of this man Randall be
fore. He is delegate VINO in the loca
union at DietZ. Wyo.. said that job,
Mitchell had sold out to the operator:
in the Colorado strike. I intend to maxi
him prove his assertions"
The commissioners and secretaries o
the several organizations of bituminou
coal operators of the United States. to
day. took the initial step toward thu
organization of d joint tribunal of min
Crs and operators to which shall be re
ferred all mine troubles. Another meet