The labor world., 1906-09-01
MASTERLY ADDRESS BY
PRES. JOHN MITCHELL
Chief of United Mine Workers
Gives Some Good Advice
to His Followers,
Tells Them to be True to Their
Organization-1t is Their
Only Salvation.

speeches in his career before the
members of the first district of the
United Mine Workers union in this
! city this week.
While listening to him as he told
In impass1oned tones of his. early
dreams for the uplifting Of the labor
er and hearing him with prophetic
voice. predict the gradual evolution
Of the labor movement until it ap-
proaches near the ideal one could not
help but be Impressed with his opin.
ions which prompted him to give them
voice.
That the mind Of the miners lead
er dwells with abiding interest on the
prospect of uplifting and ennobling
the coal miner was never more evl-
dent than in his speech at Carbon
dale.
Some OF the following points picked
at random from his address give 4
fair idea of the scope of his remarks:
THE great strike has been graf
flying success and our organization is
now stronger than ever.
Il hope and believe that the mine
workers of America have seen their
worst day.
From this time forward there will
be improved conditions In life and la
Dor among the men who mine coal.
These improved conditions bet
ter hours. better means Of living, bet
ter wages are not nandeu to us on
a silver platter. We must fight hon
Eestly, nobly and ,courageously for
them.
If did not feel that these condi-
tions tended to raise high standard
Of manhood, noblere wonnanhood,
and a happier and more nope1u
childhood in the mining region.~ I
should feel. less interest in the labor
movement than l DO now:
| Because this noule organization
and the principles it. mculcates, does
kmake for the betterment: of miners:
families is the reason why l.. have
Esuch a deep and lasting interest in
the cause of labor.
7 The future of this movement will
be moulded by our own efforts.
l. "UnseA4sh loyalty to our: cause is.
Its strongest pillar.
! 1T should concern us not so much
,..that one man be raised up great
deal as that the whole mass of min.
'ers sbe lifted little. :: -: - >
Most: of >sus will always be work:
fdng men and our children likewise.
"Wbrkingmen: do not evolve into
I>capitahstseas a caterpillar: into a. but:
~ 1T is our lot and sour ehildrens. slot
to labor, and~it. is by the exercise of
patience and perseverance that we
will help to solve best those problems
which are OF vital interest. to us and
to our. children. -...
We can not hope to solve these
problems to- our entire satisfaction.
The wisdom of the best minds for
ages has been employed, to find So
luton for them, but they are not yet
solved.
I'VE shall passaway and. our chill.
dreQ shall pass away. and men will
still be seeking a. solution for these
same problems.
But II as a consequence of our et-
forts, life has been made much bright
er and burdens little less hard to
bear; If the standard Of manhood. the
ideals Of womanhood and the condi.
tiOns of childhood in this country
have been improved, we shall have
contributed our share to that long
sought and earnestly longed for solu.
tlOn for which our labor movement
| waits.
Il am sure that l shall continue in
this work for many more years, but it
has always been and will always be
the paramount wish of my life to see
the miner doing his best to uplift his
Glass;
The full text of Mr.. Mitchelrs
speech is as follows:
i suppose that in taking the chair
l am not expected to take up your
time with my address, and yet l am
exceedingly pleased to have the op.
portunity OF meeting the anthracite
miners again. Since saw you last
the miners of America have passed
through the greatest industrial strug
gle in the history of the organization
While the bituminous miners, like
yourselves, have not secured all the,
hoped for, yet their great strike has
been a great success.
l want to assure you now that the
organization is in better condition
than ever before. and it is not onl,
my earnest hope but is my belief that
the Mine Workers of America have
seen their worst days and from this
time forward can hope for better con
d1t1ons, both as to wages and hours
of labor.
} The future of the anthracite min
ers will depend largely upon you,
own efforts. Workers have not Sc
cured better conditions because O
any other effort than their own. Bet
ter conditions Of labor, better wage
and more humane treatment are no
} offered to us on silver platter. The,
come to us only when we struggle
for them.
But let us remember that securin,
better wages and better conditions q
labor are not the only purposes of or
gan1zed labor If there were no light
ening of burdens Of men and women
II there were no increase in the 10,
OF living for them. if the children
were not benefited by the movemen
in larger freedom and happier child
! hood, If these organizations did no
contribute to the welfare of society.
should feel much less interest /.